[ad_1]
As a sparse crowd gathered in Washington DC on Saturday in support of the Jan.6 Capitol rioters, Representative Ted Lieu said the low attendance at the “Justice for J6” rally showed the influence of former President Donald Trump on the Republican Party was finally declining.
“The very small crowd size at the treacherous # JusticeforJ6 rally shows the former president’s waning influence,” the California Democrat tweeted.
The “Justice for J6” rally ended on Saturday afternoon without any major cases of violence being known. Due to concerns over such possible threats, authorities ensured a strong police presence at the rally, which was attended by 400 to 450 protesters in support of those charged in connection with the Capitol riot earlier this year. , according to Capitol Police.
Al Drago / Getty Images
A man who allegedly welded a handgun was arrested at the rally around 1:30 p.m. and charged with illegal activities, Capitol police reported.
“At the moment, it is not known why the man was present at the demonstration,” authorities said.
Another man was arrested for violating a weapon for carrying a knife at around 12:40 p.m., before the rally kicked off.
Earlier this week, event organizer Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign staffer, said News week that the rally would be “100%” peaceful and only intended to show support for the nonviolent Trump supporters who were arrested and charged in connection with the January 6 insurgency.
“We support legal prosecutions and expeditious trials for anyone who committed violence on January 6 and condemn their actions,” Braynard said. “We are fully cooperating with several different police forces to ensure that everyone is safe. Anyone intending to commit violence has nothing to do at our rally.”
The low attendance at the “Justice for J6” gathering came as no surprise. According to NBC News, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) predicted that around 700 people would attend the rally.
Far-right figures had actively discouraged their supporters from coming forward with baseless warnings that the federal government had organized the rally to catch and arrest other Trump supporters. The ‘false flag’ conspiracy theory, which has spread across right-wing social media platforms, likely contributed to the low turnout at the rally.
Trump called the rally a “setup” in an interview with The Federalist Thursday.
“If people don’t show up, they’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s a lack of spirits.’ And if people show up, they will be harassed, “said the former president.
News week has contacted Trump officials for comment.
[ad_2]
Source link