BLM Protesters Clash with Police at Capitol

By Erin Coates
Published January 14, 2021 at 10:59am

Protesters clashed with Capitol Hill police on Wednesday outside the fence that was put up last week to keep lawmakers safe during the transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.

The group was identified by the Washington Examiner as ShutDownDC, a collection of protestors who support Black Lives Matter and were chanting the Marxist organization’s slogans. The protesters tried to tie a banner to the fence, with the phrase “EXPEL ALL FASCISTS” on it, but were met with resistance from the police because they were protesting without a permit.

The banner had the names of Republicans in Congress who supported President Donald Trump’s election challenges written on it, including Sen. Josh Hawley.

The protesters say they’re going to tie this banner to the fence surrounding the Capitol. Behind that fence, there are hundreds of cops and members of the National Guard—so, we’ll see. pic.twitter.com/nBXuYar59V

— Nic Rowan (@NicXTempore) January 13, 2021

“It’s not enough to impeach the president of the United States,” ShutDownDC organizers told the Examiner.

“We need to expel the members of Congress who aided and abetted and facilitated the political conditions to allow a fascist mob to overtake the Capitol and have five people die.”

The group wrote in a call for action on its website that it “will calmly reclaim the space from the fascist mob and show strong support for passage of Representative Cori Bush’s bill to expel fascists like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley from Congress.”

However, when the protesters neared the fence, the police told them to leave.

“If you do not leave, you will be subject to arrest,” an officer said.

Protesters are now harassing the police at the fence. pic.twitter.com/eXVr4e8Jud

— Nic Rowan (@NicXTempore) January 13, 2021

The zip ties are out pic.twitter.com/w9HswrRTnD

— Nic Rowan (@NicXTempore) January 13, 2021

When the protesters refused to leave, the National Guard formed a second line behind Capitol Hill police.

The protesters started chanting and yelling at police as the police line pushed them away from the fence, accusing the officers of “protecting” Trump supporters and being fascists.

“No cops! No KKK! No fascist USA!” the crowd chanted, according to the Examiner.

The group had also protested outside Hawley’s house after he announced he would contest the Electoral College results.

“We came to let Hawley know that his actions are undemocratic and unacceptable,” ShutDownDC activist Patrick Young said in a news release following the protest.

“Voters decided who they wanted to be president and now Hawley is trying to silence their voices, even after Republican election officials certified the vote counts.”

Wednesday’s protest came a week after the incursion of the Capitol as Congress was certifying the Electoral College votes.

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