January 6th, 2021: The Attack on the US Capitol — A Comprehensive Timeline
On January 6th, 2021, a violent mob stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The day would become one of the most consequential in American history. This article offers a detailed timeline, context, and analysis of the insurrection and its aftermath.
Background: Setting the Stage
The 2020 presidential election was held on November 3, 2020. Joe Biden was declared the winner over incumbent President Donald J. Trump. Alleging widespread but unsubstantiated voter fraud, Trump and many of his supporters refused to concede. For weeks leading up to January 6, Trump and allies promoted the idea that the election was “stolen,” culminating in a “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., scheduled to coincide with Congress’s ceremonial counting of the Electoral College votes.
The “Stop the Steal” Rally
The “Stop the Steal” rally was organized by supporters of President Trump and various right-wing activist groups. It took place on January 6, 2021, at the Ellipse, a park just south of the White House. The rally was promoted as a protest against the certification of the 2020 presidential election results, which Trump and his allies falsely claimed were fraudulent.
The event drew tens of thousands of attendees from across the country. High-profile speakers included President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani, Rep. Mo Brooks, and others. Many speakers repeated unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud and urged the crowd to “fight” for the outcome.
President Trump spoke for over an hour, reiterating his claims that the election was “stolen” and encouraging his supporters to march to the Capitol. He told the crowd, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” and called on them to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” The rally ended shortly after 1:00 pm, with many attendees heading directly toward the Capitol building, where the joint session of Congress was underway.
“If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” — Donald Trump, Jan. 6 Rally Speech
The Events of January 6, 2021 — A Minute-by-Minute Timeline
Crowds begin gathering near the White House and the National Mall for the “Save America” rally. Security preparations begin at the Capitol with a contingent smaller than for past large demonstrations.
The perimeter around the Capitol is established with bicycle racks and a small police force present. Attendees congregate for Trump’s rally, scheduled for 11:00 am.
Rep. Lauren Boebert tweets:
Lauren Boebert (Tweet): “Today is 1776.”
Members of the Proud Boys and other extremist groups are seen moving around D.C., some scouting routes and gathering near the Capitol.
The “Save America” rally begins at the Ellipse. Speakers include Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani (“Trial by combat!”), and others. Crowd size swells to tens of thousands.
Rudy Giuliani: “If we’re wrong, we will be made fools of, but if we’re right, a lot of them will go to jail. So let’s have trial by combat!”
Donald Trump Jr.: “You can be a hero, or you can be a zero. And the choice is yours. But we are all watching. The whole world is watching, folks. Choose wisely. Because if you just roll over, if you don’t fight in the face of glaring irregularities, statistical impossibilities… that’s your legacy. But we’re not going to let that happen!”
President Trump begins his speech, referencing unfounded claims of voter fraud and calling for supporters to march to the Capitol and “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” but also to “fight like hell.”
Donald Trump: “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved. Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore…”
“We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore. So we’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue… and we’re going to the Capitol. And we’re going to try and give… our Republicans, the weak ones because the strong ones don’t need any of our help, we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country. So let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue. I want to thank you all. God bless you and God bless America.”
The first groups leave the rally and head toward the Capitol via Pennsylvania Avenue.
The crowd on the Capitol’s west front grows and begins forcibly removing police barriers near the Peace Circle. The first violent breach of police lines occurs; rioters physically attack Capitol police officers using sticks and chemical irritants.
Congress convenes in a joint session, presided over by Vice President Mike Pence, to certify the Electoral College votes.
Rep. Lauren Boebert speaks on the House floor, objecting to counting Arizona’s electoral votes and referencing her constituents outside:
Lauren Boebert (House Floor): “Madam Speaker, I have constituents outside this building right now. I promised my voters to be their voice. … They know that this election is not right, and as their representative, I am sent here to represent them. I will not allow the people to be ignored.”
A group of rioters on the Senate side overpowers additional police barricades.
Capitol Police dispatch an “emergency” radio call for backup. The mob continues to swell, and windows are being broken.
D.C. Metropolitan Police are called to assist the Capitol. Both the Senate and House are in session.
Rioters break windows and force entry into the Senate side of the Capitol. The mob gains access to the building.
Vice President Mike Pence is evacuated from the Senate chamber as rioters enter the Capitol. The Senate goes into recess.
Rioters force open the doors to the House chamber. Lawmakers, staff, and reporters are told to shelter in place. The Speaker Nancy Pelosi is evacuated.
Rep. Lauren Boebert tweets that Speaker Pelosi has left the House chamber (without specifying her location).
More breaches occur. Police barricade the House chamber with furniture; armed standoff at the door.
Trump tweets: “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.” This occurs as Pence is in hiding.
Donald Trump (Tweet): “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!”
The Secret Service moves Pence to a secure location inside the Capitol.
Rioters reach the Senate chamber. Some are seen going through senators’ desks.
Trump tweets calling for people to “support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!” — but does not call for rioters to leave.
Donald Trump (Tweet): “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!”
Ashli Babbitt is shot by a Capitol Police officer inside the Speaker’s Lobby as rioters attempt to break through the barricaded doors to the House chamber.
First urgent requests for National Guard assistance are made by Capitol Police and D.C. officials as the situation deteriorates. Delays and confusion follow as federal officials debate the scope and approval of deployment.
The D.C. National Guard is formally activated by the Acting Secretary of Defense, but will not arrive for hours. Confusion and delays continue as federal officials debate the scope of their deployment and require additional approvals.
The first National Guard troops finally arrive at the Capitol and begin assisting with crowd control and securing the perimeter. Their arrival marks a turning point in regaining control of the building and grounds, nearly three hours after the initial urgent requests.
Police begin to clear rioters from the Capitol Rotunda. Lawmakers remain in hiding.
Trump tweets, again without telling rioters to leave: “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence!”
Donald Trump (Tweet): “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”
The D.C. National Guard and federal law enforcement are being routed toward the scene. Virginia and Maryland send state police and National Guard.
President-elect Joe Biden addresses the nation, calling on Trump to demand an end to the siege: “This is not dissent, it’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition.”
Joe Biden: “At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times. An assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol itself. An assault on the people’s representatives, on the Capitol police, sworn to protect them, and on the public servants who work at the heart of our Republic…”
“Let me be very clear: the scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are. What we’re seeing are a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now.”
“I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege.”
Trump releases a video message on Twitter, again mentioning baseless fraud claims but telling his supporters, “Go home. We love you, you’re very special.”
Donald Trump (Video Message): “I know your pain. I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt. It’s a very tough period of time. There’s never been a time like this where such a thing happened, where they could take it away from all of us — from me, from you, from our country. This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special. You’ve seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home, and go home in peace.”
Law enforcement methodically push crowds from the Capitol, deploying tear gas and flash-bangs. The Capitol is slowly cleared. Pipe bombs are discovered near the RNC and DNC Headquarters and safely detonated.
The Capitol is declared secure by law enforcement, with National Guard and police establishing a perimeter and beginning the process of clearing remaining rioters from the area.
Washington D.C. curfew goes into effect. Hundreds remain on Capitol grounds but are gradually dispersed.
Congress resumes the joint session, with Vice President Pence presiding. Lawmakers make speeches condemning the attack, and some members retract plans to object to the certification.
Congress completes its count. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are officially certified as President-Elect and Vice President-Elect of the United States.
Aftermath and Legacy
- Casualties: 5 deaths directly connected to the attack (including Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick and rioter Ashli Babbitt), 140+ police injured. Four officers would later die by suicide.
- Arrests and Charges: Over 1,200 people arrested as of 2024, with hundreds convicted of federal offenses, including seditious conspiracy.
- Political Fallout: Trump became the first president to be impeached twice. The House Jan. 6 committee later concluded he “summoned the mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack.”
- Security Shifts: Fences re-erected around the Capitol, and National Guard troops stationed for months. Congressional hearings led to an overhaul of Capitol security procedures.
- Continued Impact: The events of January 6th remain a dividing line in American politics, law enforcement strategy, and federal oversight of extremism and domestic terrorism.
Conclusion
The attack on January 6, 2021, was a historic assault on democracy. It changed how Americans and the world perceived the stability and resilience of American institutions. While Congress ultimately fulfilled its duty, the ripple effects of that day continue to shape political, security, and legal landscapes even years later.