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United States: Meeting with the Capitol attackers, almost 4 years after the riot
Having become the symbol of a deeply fractured America, the attack on the Capitol in January 2021 remains etched in people’s minds. France Télévisions met with several of its actors, two months before the American presidential election.
(France 2)
Having become the symbol of a deeply fractured America, the attack on the Capitol in January 2021 remains etched in people’s minds. France Télévisions met with several of its actors, two months before the American presidential election.
On the front lines, with his horns on his head and his makeup, he instantly became the face of an insurrection. Jacob Chansley, a far-right activist nicknamed “Shaman” and a fervent supporter of Donald Trump, participated in the storming of the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021.
Nearly four years after the events, the teams from France 2’s “20 heures” went to meet several of the protagonists of this attack, which continues to have repercussions as the American presidential election approaches.
In addition to this member of the QAnon conspiracy movement, sentenced to 41 months in prison and currently on parole, our teams were able to visit the seat of Congress with Aquilino Gonell. This former member of the Capitol police was injured while defending the building against the invasion of rioters. He remains traumatized.
France 2 was also able to interview the family of Ashli Babbitt, a Donald Trump loyalist shot dead by a police officer during the assault, as well as that of Brian Sicknick. This Capitol police officer died from two strokes following the attack.