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Capitol Hill, a year later: what happened to the protagonists?

It is strange to see the images of today Capitol Hill covered by snow. There are people who walk leaving their deep footprints, others who slide on the sled. It has a strange effect and it is impossible not to immediately go back to the images of the January 6, 2021. One year ago. When that same place was stormed by supporters of outgoing American President Donald Trump, to overturn the electoral result: the victory and appointment of Democrat Joe Biden.

Capitol Hill, covered in snow, January 3, 2022

OLIVIER DOULIERY

An assault whose images have traveled around the world showing us the faces of extremists who have raided and completely overturned the American Congress, delivering a deeply wounded country to President Joe Biden. That day five people died, including a policeman who had a heart attack and 52 were arrested. But in the months that followed four other officers took their own lives, overwhelmed by depression and crushed by an incurable trauma. Still others have asked to be compensated by the former US president for inciting his supporters.

Among the faces left in the collective memory of Capitol Hill is that of Jacob Chansley, the shaman. He had entered Congress bare-chested, with a fur headdress, shaman’s horns, in his hands a spear with the US flag hanging, the colors of his country drawn on his face. A hateful look and the message left on Vice President Mike Pence’s desk: “It’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.” Last November he was sentenced to 41 months in prison. He had been arrested on multiple federal charges and faced a sentence of up to twenty years.

After refusing to cooperate with the commission investigating the assault on Capitol Hill and thus being indicted for contempt of Congress, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former strategist and great ally, has turned himself in to the FBI. He will not wait in prison for the trial, scheduled for 18 July, to begin, but he will not be able to move from the country. He is accused of failing to testify and failing to deliver the required documents.

In view of the anniversary of January 6, theex presidente Donald Trump announced a speech from his Mar-a-Lago residence. According to the American newspaper Politico, Trump, who as part of the investigation by the House Commission requested (but not obtained) the denial of access to the documents for “The executive privilege”, has already released previews of the speech he intends to deliver. He will argue once again that the 2020 election would be rigged and thus lead to his defeat in the attempted re-election, in favor of Democrat Joe Biden. Meanwhile, the tycoon’s position has become complicated in these hours with “a first-hand testimony»Registered by the parliamentary commission and reported by Abc News, according to which Ivanka Trump, daughter and then advisor to former President Donald Trump, asked “To stop the violence at least twice».

It did not happen and five people were killed in the attack on Capitol Hill, including the police officer Brian D. Sicknick. The other victims: Ahsli Babbit, 35, Air Force veteran. For his death, struck by the bullet left by an agent, the family asked to reconstruct the incident with the videos and all the material available. The agent was exonerated for having acted “in a lawful and correct manner, according to the policies of the department, which allow the use of lethal force in defense of human life”. Benjamin Ben Phillips, 50 years old, arrived with a dozen Trumpists in Congress, Kevin Greeson, 55, a staunch Trump supporter from Alabama, Rosanne Boyland, 34, from Georgia, was crushed in the crowd.

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