(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Yes actually, the Capitol Attack was more damaging than the Floyd Protests [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-11-25 they also say Anti-Police Violence protests over George Floyd were just MAGAs like to claim that January 6 was a "Peaceful Protest that got out of hand" (which is a false claim I debunked in a similar previous diary ) but "Violent Riots." How does the violence at the Floyd Riots truly compare to the violence and damage that occurred during the Capitol attack? Generally, I would say they are apples and pomegranates but some would say that “obviously” the Floyd protests were worse — however is that really what the cold hard numbers say when you contrast what was actually 8,700 separate events to that one event on January 6? Let’s see. About 2000 people entered the Capitol Building after violently fighting with police for almost 90 minutes, using sticks, polls, bear spray, and stolen riot shields - out of a total crowd of about 9000 people. That's 22% of the crowd being violent, attempting to disrupt Congress and deny the electoral count. 3.5 times as many people were non-violent as those who fought the police and entered the building. Only 6.5% (574) of Floyd Protest had any violence, vandalism, or looting out of a total of 8,700 events. 93% of the Floyd protests were completely non-violent. 14 times as many protests were non-violent as those where any violence occurred. 14 times as many Floyd protests being non-violent is a 4 times greater ratio than 3.5 times as many Trump protestors being non-violent. In Portland, his response to the protest was to send Federal Officers with no ID in unmarked vehicles to *kidnap* people off the street for arrest and interrogation like the Soviet Secret Police. He didn't call MPD or Capitol Police, he didn't call the FBI, he didn't call Homeland Security, he didn't call the Pentagon and ask for the National Guard. [His previous mention of having "10,000 National Guard ready" was only a suggestion -not an order according to the testimony by Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller. The Mayor and Miller had already decided to only have Guard Troops available to manage traffic. Nancy Pelosi had nothing to do with that decision , and she had no authority to make that choice.] After saying "Peacefully" once and "Fight" or "Fighting" 20 times as the attack happened - Trump. did. nothing. During the Floyd protests people were trying to change US police policy to be less violent and deadly against unarmed suspects. Some people (on Fox News) argued that George Floyd died of fentanyl poisoning , but all three forensic experts at trial testified that it was from chest compression by the three cops kneeling on his back and neck . Plus fentanyl puts you into a coma before it kills you and Floyd was conscious and begging for his life until almost his last breath. During the Capitol attack, people wanted to block Congress from doing their duty to certify the election results and deny Democracy under the false impression that the "election was stolen" when it wasn't. Even if the election *had* been stolen the fake electors' plot and the assault on the Capitol were still an illegal Insurrection against Democracy and the power of the vote. The entire "stolen election" is a hoax. One of these goals is legal and Constitutional, the other is not. Even if we agree the majority on both sides came without weapons and were peaceful - nobody with handguns, bear spray and zip ties is coming to a peaceful protest. 11.7 times more damage than the average Floyd protest, but about 77% of the damage done during the average Floyd riot. The damage done by the Pro-Floyd Riots is estimated at $2 Billion which averages to $3.5 Million for 574 events. If you average it by the number of protests (8,700) it goes down to $228,885 in damage per protest. The Capitol Riot did $1.5 Million [that estimate was later upgraded to $2.7 Million ] in damage - so that'sthan the average Floyd protest, but about 77% of the damage done during the average Floyd riot. 2000 Police were injured during the 8,700 Floyd Protests, that's an average of 0.22 officers per event. If you divide it by the number of protests that turned violent (574) the average goes to 3.48 officers injured per riot. Over 140 officers were injured during the Capitol Riot, so by that measure 40 times as many police were injured than during the average Floyd riot. So really the violent protestors killed 14 people and the police, counter-protestors and Boogaloos killed 11 people. As a result of the Capitol Attack, a total of 9 people died. Ashley Babbit was shot by police for trespassing and threatening the safety of Congress people trapped in the House Chamber. One woman among the crowd was trampled to death by the rioters. Another man had a heart attack. Police Officer Brian Sicknick died from a stroke the very next day where the Medical Examiner stated it was the result of "all that transpired" including the attack. Another protestor died, and then 4 different police officers committed suicide because of the stress and trauma they experienced in the attack. More than 10,000 people were arrested for the Floyd Protests , most of them were soon freed because the charges were only "violating a curfew" or other minor infractions. Several hundred were prosecuted and convicted for vandalism and violence and faced sentences of 5 years or more. 1,200 people have been arrested and prosecuted for the Capitol Assault, most of them have received only a few weeks or months sentence for "trespassing in a restricted area" but a few hundred have received longer more serious sentences for violence, disrupting an official proceeding and handful have received a sentence of years and decades for "Seditious Conspiracy." Summary: So the rate of violence (22%) was higher with the Capitol Attack than it was with the Floyd Protests (6.5%). Trump didn't respond at all to the violence of the Capitol Attack, but he did use Force and Secret Police tactics against Floyd Protestors - plus he wanted to use the Military to "Shoot them" down in the street but the Joint Chiefs refused. The average Floyd Protest only did a fraction (1/6th) of the damage done at the Capitol, but the average Floyd Riot did about 22% more property damage as what occurred at the Capitol. 40 times as many officers were injured at the Capitol Riot than at the average violent Floyd Riot. And that increases to 662 times as many when compared to the average Floyd Protest. And while Pro-Floyd rioters ultimately killed 14 people - Pro-Trump violence killed 11 people during the protests, then they were responsible for the deaths of another 8 people at the Capitol plus Ashley Babbit. Punishment for the protests has been largely proportional to the size and number of those protests and the crimes and damages committed. However, most of the Floyd rioters were prosecuted for State crimes while those at the Capitol were prosecuted for Federal Crimes (because it happened on Federal property). But somehow some people can't imagine or agree with the idea that Pro-Floyd events were *Mostly* non-violent protests or that the Pro-Trump attack on the Capital was an even greater "violent riot" and a deadly Insurrection against the peaceful transfer of power? I think those people are kidding themselves. Both series of events had many peaceful people, and they had violent people. As a percentage, the Pro-Trumpers were *more* violent, particularly against people and the police, than those who were Pro-Floyd which on average did more damage to property. Trump needed the violence to happen, he needed to intimidate Mike Pence to go along with the John Eastman plan or else to flee the building in terror allowing Chuck Grassley to take his place and implement the plan to remain in the White House. Trump picked the date, place and time for the rally -- and then he specifically sent the crowd to the Capitol even though they didn't have a permit for that because they didn't provide appropriate security for it. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/11/25/2207958/-Yes-actually-the-Capitol-Attack-was-more-damaging-than-the-Floyd-Protests?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/