The Reality of January 6: What They Don’t Want You to See
For many Americans, January 6, 2021, was just another day. For those who don’t follow politics closely, or for those on the right, it has been framed as overblown, exaggerated, or even justified.
They say it was just a protest that got out of hand.
They say it was not that violent.
They say it was nothing compared to the summer 2020 BLM protests.
But that is not reality.
The truth is, most of these people have never actually seen what happened that day. They have not watched the full, unfiltered footage of police officers being beaten, of rioters smashing windows and hunting for lawmakers, of a crowd erecting a noose on the Capitol lawn.
They do not understand what January 6 really was. And that is not an accident.
What Really Happened That Day
1. It Was Not Just a Protest—It Was an Attack on Democracy
There is a fundamental difference between a protest and what happened on January 6.
Protests happen outside government buildings. This attack happened inside.
Protests demand change through voices. This attack attempted change through violence.
Protests do not include gallows, zip ties, and calls for public executions.
The goal was not to express frustration—it was to stop the certification of an election. It was a coordinated attempt to overturn democracy by force.
2. The Violence Was Intentional and Brutal
If you only watched right-wing media coverage of January 6, you would never know about:
Police officers being dragged into a mob and beaten with American flags.
Officers being crushed between doors while rioters chanted for blood.
Rioters stabbing officers with flagpoles, throwing fire extinguishers, and tasing them until they had heart attacks.
More than 140 officers were injured—some permanently disabled, some traumatized beyond repair.
And yet, the same people who once called themselves “Blue Lives Matter” supporters suddenly decided police brutality was acceptable when it served their interests.
3. The Noose Was Not a Symbol—It Was a Threat
One of the most chilling images of January 6 was the noose and gallows erected on Capitol grounds.
This was not a joke. It was a message.
Rioters hunted for Mike Pence, chanting “Hang Mike Pence” because he refused to block Biden’s certification.
They screamed for Nancy Pelosi, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other lawmakers.
They carried zip ties—intended to take hostages.
This was not a chaotic accident. This was organized terror.
4. It Was Coordinated, Not Spontaneous
Right-wing media tries to frame January 6 as a protest that got out of control. But the evidence tells a different story.
The Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other extremist groups planned their actions for weeks.
Weapons were stashed outside D.C., ready to be brought in if Trump invoked the Insurrection Act.
Trump and his allies fueled the chaos, urging the crowd to “fight like hell” and promising it would be “wild.”
Many of the most violent rioters were not random protesters but militia members, ex-military, and far-right extremists who came prepared for war.
Why Many Americans Don’t See January 6 As a Big Deal
1. They Have Never Seen the Real Footage
Most conservatives have only seen carefully selected clips. They have never watched the hours of raw footage showing the brutal violence, the terror in officers’ faces, or the destruction inside the Capitol.
If they did, they would not be able to call it “just a protest.”
2. Right-Wing Media Deliberately Downplays It
Fox News, Newsmax, and other right-wing outlets have spent years minimizing the attack, calling it:
“A tourist visit” (Tucker Carlson)
“A peaceful gathering” (Laura Ingraham)
“Not nearly as bad as BLM riots” (multiple right-wing hosts)
The people who rely on these networks have been conditioned to believe that January 6 was nothing more than a rowdy crowd.
3. They Compare It to BLM Protests Without Understanding the Difference
One of the biggest talking points is “But what about the BLM riots?”
Here’s the difference:
BLM protests were about police brutality. January 6 was about overturning an election.
BLM protests involved widespread demonstrations in hundreds of cities. January 6 was a single, coordinated attack on the Capitol.
BLM did not attempt to overthrow democracy. January 6 did.
There is no comparison. One was about justice, the other was about insurrection.
What This Means for the Future
If January 6 had been taken as seriously as it should have been, the response would have looked very different.
The politicians who incited it would have been held accountable. Instead, Trump is running for president again, and his allies are still in Congress.
The rioters would have been charged with domestic terrorism. Instead, many of them received light sentences, with some even being celebrated as political martyrs.
The media would have shown the footage relentlessly. Instead, most Americans have never seen the full extent of what happened.
Because it was not treated as the violent coup attempt that it was, the groundwork has been laid for it to happen again.
The next time, they will be more prepared. The next time, they will not fail.
And the people who refuse to acknowledge the truth about January 6 will not be able to pretend they didn’t see it coming.
Source List
House Select Committee on January 6 – Final Report and Findings
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdfNew York Times – Timeline of Events on January 6
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/06/us/january-6-timelineCNN – Full Video Footage of Capitol Riots
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/capitol-riot-videosThe Atlantic – How Trump’s Allies Coordinated January 6
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/01/jan-6-coordination-trump-alliesWashington Post – The Violence Against Police on January 6
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/06/jan-6-police-attacksThe Guardian – The Noose at the Capitol: What It Meant
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/06/noose-capitol-jan-6The Intercept – The Role of Militias in the January 6 Attack
https://theintercept.com/2025/01/06/proud-boys-oath-keepers-jan-6PBS Frontline – Who Funded the Insurrection?
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/funding-january-6Rolling Stone – The Lies That Keep January 6 Alive
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/january-6-lies-right-wingColumbia Journalism Review – The Media’s Role in Minimizing January 6
https://www.cjr.org/special_report/right-wing-media-jan-6-minimization
January 6 was not just a protest. It was a blueprint. And if people do not wake up to reality, they will not see the next one coming.
