January 6 United States Capitol attack facts for kids

Quick facts for kids January 6 United States Capitol attack
Part of the 2020–21 United States election protests and attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election
Top to bottom, left to right: crowds gathered outside of the Capitol; Donald Trump speaking to supporters at the "Save America" rally; tear gas being deployed against protesters outside the Capitol Building
Date	January 6, 2021 (2021-01-06)
Location	United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., United States 38°53′23.3″N 77°00′32.6″W / 38.889806°N 77.009056°W / 38.889806; -77.009056
Caused by	Opposition to the results of the 2020 United States presidential election Trump's false claims of election and voter fraud Trump's incitement of his supporters to fight and physically disrupt the Electoral College vote count
Goals	Disrupt, delay, and change the Electoral College vote count in Trump's favor Capture and destroy the certificates of ascertainment of the Electoral College votes Pressure Congress and Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results in favor of Trump and decertify former vice president Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 United States presidential election Ransack, vandalize, and overrun the United States Capitol building
Methods	Rioting, vandalism, looting, assault, shootings, arson, and attempted bombings
Resulted in	Attempts to overturn election results in favor of Trump failed Damage to United States Capitol property, including vandalism and looting of offices and chambers Delay of counting electoral votes by several hours Resignations of Trump administration officials Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Chief of the Council of Economic Advisers Tyler Goodspeed Chief of Staff to the First Lady Stephanie Grisham White House Social Secretary Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Mick Mulvaney Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger Resignations of Capitol security officials Chief of the Capitol Police Steven Sund Sergeant at Arms of the Senate Michael C. Stenger Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives Paul D. Irving Installation of new security fencing around the Capitol and heightened security measures Suspensions of Donald Trump's social media accounts Efforts to remove Donald Trump from office
Casualties and arrests
Death(s)	5 dead 4 rioters 1 police officer
Injuries	Unknown number of rioters injured, at least 5 rioters hospitalized 56 officers injured
Arrested	80+ rioters arrested

On January 6, 2021, thousands of supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump gathered in Washington, D.C.. They were protesting the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. They wanted to support Trump's request for Vice President Mike Pence and Congress to reject Joe Biden's victory. The protests soon turned into riots as many Trump supporters broke into the United States Capitol building. They caused damage inside.

The Rally Before the Attack

First, protesters met at the Ellipse for a planned rally. At this event, Rudy Giuliani spoke to the crowd. Later, Donald Trump told his supporters to march to the United States Capitol. He told them to "peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard today."

Storming the Capitol Building

After the rally, Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building. At that time, Congress was meeting inside. All members of Congress, staff, reporters, and visitors were quickly moved to a safe place. Vice President Mike Pence was also evacuated.

Some people have called the attack on the Capitol an act of domestic terrorism. During the attack, some rioters carried flags from the Confederate battle flags or Nazi symbols. It was the first time in U.S. history that a Confederate battle flag was seen inside the U.S. Capitol building.

What Happened After

After the attack, Trump posted messages on Twitter. In a video, he asked protesters to go home. He said, "This was a fraudulent election, but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You're very special. You've seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace."

In another message, he wrote about his feelings. He said, "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long." He then added, "Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!"

Five people died during or soon after the event. These included four rioters and one police officer. Fifteen police officers were taken to the hospital. More than 50 officers were injured.

Reactions to the Attack

Because of this attack, Donald Trump was impeached for a second time. Some people even wanted Vice President Pence to use the Twenty-fifth Amendment to remove Trump from office.

The House of Representatives created a special committee. This group, called the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, was formed to investigate the attack. They also looked for ways to prevent similar events in the future.

Punishments for Protesters

More than 750 people were charged with crimes related to the Capitol attack. Over 200 of these people pleaded guilty. This means they admitted to the crimes to get a lighter punishment instead of going to trial.

Some people have received long prison sentences. For example, some sentences have been as long as 22 years.

Here are some notable sentences since 2023:

• Stewart Rhodes, a founder of the Oath Keepers, received 18 years in prison.
• Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys (a group of activists), received 17 years in prison.
• Enrique Tarrio, another leader of the Proud Boys, received 22 years in prison.

Related pages

• 2023 invasion of the Brazilian Congress (an event inspired by the Capitol attack)