Was the January 6th Storming of the US Capitol a Self-coup?
The storming of the US Capitol on January 6th 2021 was a shocking event for many. Citizens pushed past Capitol police, causing property damage and threatening congresspeople and the Vice President. Five people died in the attack. Participants included armed members of right-wing militias, terrorist groups, neo-Nazi organizations, and conspiratorial groups such as Q-Anon. Nothing similar had been seen since the British burned the Capitol building to the ground during the War of 1812. Immediately afterwards, scholars and the media attempted to understand what had happened. Commentators had a range of viewpoints, describing the event as an insurrection, a mob invasion, sedition, a legitimate protest, a rebellion, and a coup.
