Three Years Later, Jan. 6 Hoaxes Still Persist

Trump didn’t incite rioters: Former President Donald Trump urged for peace before and after riots broke out and never called for violence or disruption of the electoral vote count. "I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your votes heard today,” he said at his rally.

It was mostly peaceful: The majority of protesters arrived after Trump’s rally when lawmakers had already halted proceedings due to the actions of a handful of rioters. While media outlets continue to describe the event as if the entire mob “stormed” the building, video and eyewitness accounts show that police allowed most of them inside to march peacefully, waving and encouraging them.

Protesters didn’t kill anyone: All recorded fatalities were among Trump supporters or from natural causes. Reports initially claimed protesters killed U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick with a fire extinguisher, but a medical examiner found he died of two strokes. Four officers committed suicide after the riot.

Not an insurrection: Historically and legally, “insurrection” refers to a sophisticated, coordinated attempt to overthrow the government, not just a disruptive protest. No Jan. 6 defendant has been charged with insurrection, though a few members of the right-wing Proud Boys and Oath Keepers have been convicted of seditious conspiracy, accused of planning separate attacks.

Plenty of FBI involvement: The media falsely claim there is no evidence the FBI may have tried to provoke rioters. But the FBI had planted at least eight informants in the Proud Boys — two of whom entered the building with them — and struggled to keep track of the total number of informants who attended the protest. The FBI has refused to tell Congress whether any of its informants or agents incited violence.