What happened to Capitol Police on J6 was a shock to the officers because in decades of dealing with conservatives there had never been violence against them.
The FReepers were active in D.C. for over a decade from the late 1990s though the 2000s--no violence. The Tea Party took up the mantle in the Obama years--no violence. Since the 1970s the March for Life took place every year across from the Capitol--no violence, no attacks on police. All the violence and attacks on police in those decades and before came from the Left.
The rise during the Trump years of Antifa and the responding far-right Proud Boys brought violence and criminal activity by the right in D.C. for the first time--but not attacks on police.
Regardless of whether provocateurs instigated the J6 riot (I do), the perception by the officers of law-and-order conservatives attacking and beating them within an inch of their lives was traumatic.
It used to be that a few officers hanging out behind flimsy snow fencing was all that was needed for security when conservatives marched on Capitol Hill. Just the month before thousands of Trump supporters rallied and marched in D.C. and walked to the Capitol and Supreme Court without incident.
Are there Democrat police officers grandstanding and taking political vengeance against Trump and Republicans over J6? Yes. Is this officer one of those? I don't know. But I can say that her trauma is justified.
That was pretty close to my initial assessment.
Hi kristinn, nice to hear from you, and I could not be more in agreement.
All the years I was involved (probably around ten years or so) I never saw anything like that, never. Ever. I recall consideration for law enforcement, and we even policed the grounds when everything was over. I recall one of the Tea Party rallies down there where trash and signs were heaped next to the overflowing trash receptacles.
I have been of the opinion that this was caused by Antifa/FBI provocateurs, and with the revelation of the fake pipe bombs at the DNC and RNC and such, that conviction has only become stronger with time.