It Didn’t Start on Jan. 6: Brief History of Terrorist Violence at Capitol
Jan. 6, 2021, was not the first act of terrorism inflicted at the U.S. Capitol. Pictured: Then-Rep. Kenneth Roberts, D-Ala., who was shot in the leg by Puerto Rican nationalist terrorists in the House of Representatives on March 1, 1954, is carried down the steps of the Capitol building on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital. Four other lawmakers were also injured in the shootings. (Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images)
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Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation, is a widely experienced international correspondent, commentator, and editor who has reported from Asia, Europe, and Latin America. He served in the George W. Bush administration, first at the Securities and Exchange Commission and then at the State Department, and is the author of the forthcoming book The Plot to Change America: How Identity Politics is Dividing the Land of the Free. Read his research.
The Atlantic
Tight security harms the daily functioning of the legislative branch.
February 10, 2021
May-Ying Lam / Redux
Even after the 7,000 National Guard troops currently deployed around the United States Capitol pack up following the impeachment trial, the Hill will not be returning to normal. “We must harden this campus,” House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett warned in a closed Appropriations Committee session late last month. Yogananda Pittman, the acting chief of the Capitol Police, recently called for “vast improvements to the physical security infrastructure.” Those plans prompted by the January 6 riot that is now the subject of a presidential-impeachment trial would include expanding the perimeter around Congress by several blocks to encircle House and Senate office buildings; adding permanent fencing; and positioning rapid-response forces around the complex.
El Capitolio: de 1800 al 2021 elsoldemexico.com.mx - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from elsoldemexico.com.mx Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Damage was assessed at over a quarter of a million dollars. The door of the Senate Minority Leader was ripped from its hinges. A valuable, stately portrait of Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster was left in shards. Chandeliers, mirrors, and furniture were damaged beyond repair. Plaster and glass were strewn about everywhere, particularly in the Republican cloakroom behind the Senate chamber.
No, this was not from January 6, 2021. The date was November 7, 1983. A bomb was planted inside the US Capitol and exploded at 10:58 PM ET, ripping through the second floor of the US Capitolâs Senate wing. The damage was extensive.
It took five years for the FBI to make arrests