The Storming of the Capitol-incompetence or intent?

The failure to adequately plan for the events at the Capitol Building on 6th January 2021 shows either rank incompetence on behalf of whoever planned the security for the event, or a politically-led willingness to downplay the risks leading directly to penetration of the building.

As events began to unfold at the Capitol on Wednesday 6th Jan, it quickly became clear that security and police forces were under-resourced and ill-prepared for the type of activity taking place. This is extremely puzzling as the agenda, logistics and planned actions had been extensively reported by international and US media outlets over the preceding week. Plenty of information was available through web chat channels and other online media which should have allowed Capitol officials to accurately gauge the intent and capability of the ‘demonstrators’.

“Law enforcement failed to understand what the likelihood of this threat was,” CNN law enforcement analyst Jonathan Wackrow

It has been widely reported in the media that only Capitol Police were to deal with the event, and other support was not present until requested. The issue of coordination between security services and police forces has also been highlighted as missing.

The capability of the Capitol to coordinate between organisations in order to withstand such actions has been shown in the recent past. Take the example of the Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020. The security stance was robust in the extreme, with various security actors (National Guard, Police, Secret Service, DEA, even the Prison Service) present and importantly ahead and waiting.

National Guard troops were deployed to the Lincoln Memorial on June 2, 2020, during protests held in Washington, DC, over the death of George Floyd.

So the question remains, why was there a decision not to coordinate or have more forces present before the event- rather than just the Capitol civilian police? This decision is reported to have been taken by the Trump Administration.

The preparation and response to the events of 6th January 2021 are highly suggestive of a calculated decision to allow civilian police and lawmakers to be placed at risk through failing to adequately resource or plan the security stance, in order to make a political point on behalf of the current President of America. As DC Attorney General Karl Racine told CNN

“I have to think that it wasn’t unintentional. That it wasn’t careless or reckless”

So, what do you think- incompetence or intention?

NB:It is not the intention of this piece to discuss the problematic approach taken by the US Administration and law enforcement in respect of race. This serious issue looks to have been a contributing factor to the policing style on 6th January. However, I feel that other authors are better placed to address this issue, and have done so.