Today marks the fourth anniversary of January 6, 2021, a day that the left insists on branding as "the worst day in American history." In the years since, this narrative has been cemented by media and political elites, often at the expense of critical context and inconvenient truths that undermine their claims. The insistence on calling the events of January 6 an "insurrection" has been central to this narrative, but it is a term that fails to align with the facts.

Mislabeling the Events as an Insurrection

For something to qualify as an insurrection, there must be a concerted effort to overthrow a government, typically involving organized armed conflict. January 6 was chaotic, disruptive, and deeply concerning—but an insurrection it was not. The vast majority of individuals present that day were unarmed, and there was no organized plot to seize control of the government. The FBI itself admitted in August 2021 that it had found scant evidence of any coordinated effort to overturn the election results. If we are to believe the hyperbolic "insurrection" claims, then why were so many of those arrested charged with crimes as minor as trespassing?

Newly Released Capitol Videos

Over the past four years, thousands of hours of Capitol security footage have been gradually released to the public, challenging the narrative that the Capitol Police were overrun by a violent mob. Instead, many of these videos show officers calmly interacting with demonstrators. In some cases, officers appeared to wave people inside the Capitol building. These actions raise serious questions about whether the "breach" was truly as hostile as it has been portrayed.

One particularly striking video shows Capitol Police escorting individuals through the hallways, even chatting and pointing out directions. In another clip, a police officer removes handcuffs from a detained individual before exchanging a fist bump with him. This is not the behavior one would expect during a violent "insurrection."

The Role of Capitol Police and Security Decisions

It is also worth noting the puzzling decisions surrounding security on that day. Despite advance warnings of potential unrest, National Guard troops were not preemptively deployed. Reports have indicated that offers of additional security were turned down by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. Why was the Capitol left so vulnerable if leadership genuinely feared a violent attack?

FBI Informants’ Deep Presence

Perhaps the most explosive revelation in recent years has been the Department of Justice’s acknowledgment of FBI informants present among the January 6 participants. As we recently reported Bombshell DOJ report reveals FBI informants’ deep presence at Jan. 6 riots, reveals that federal informants were embedded within the crowd, raising critical questions about the extent of their involvement and their potential role in shaping the events of that day. This revelation challenges the simplistic narrative of a spontaneous, purely organic uprising and suggests the possibility of deeper federal entanglement. The public deserves transparency regarding how these informants operated and whether their actions exacerbated the chaos.

Hypocrisy in Condemnation

The selective outrage over January 6 also deserves scrutiny. For months in 2020, America witnessed widespread riots that resulted in billions of dollars in damage, dozens of deaths, and attacks on federal buildings, including courthouses. These events were often downplayed or excused by the same voices now labeling January 6 as the darkest day in our nation’s history. This double standard erodes trust in the institutions tasked with reporting and investigating these events.

The Weaponization of January 6

The left’s insistence on framing January 6 as an "insurrection" has served a clear political purpose: to vilify conservatives and paint any questioning of election integrity as inherently dangerous. This narrative has been used to justify unprecedented measures, from the overzealous prosecution of participants to enhanced surveillance of political dissidents. The Department of Justice’s treatment of January 6 defendants has often appeared excessive, particularly when contrasted with leniency granted to violent rioters in 2020.

A Call for Truth and Accountability

The events of January 6 were regrettable, but they have been weaponized for political gain in ways that do not serve the American people. If we are to learn anything from this day, it should be the importance of transparency and accountability. That means releasing all remaining Capitol footage, addressing legitimate questions about security failures, and rejecting partisan narratives that deepen divisions.

History will not be kind to those who exploited January 6 for political theater. It is time to move beyond the distortions and seek the truth—wherever it leads.

References:

1. "FBI finds scant evidence U.S. Capitol attack was coordinated," Reuters, August 20, 2021.
2. Released Capitol surveillance footage, 2023.
3. Reports on security failures by House leadership, 2021-2022.
4. "Bombshell DOJ report reveals FBI informants’ deep presence at Jan. 6 riots," Lucid News, 2024.
5. Comparative analysis of federal responses to 2020 riots vs. January 6.
6. Image source: By Tyler Merbler from USA - DSC09496-2, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=98639076