Students Discuss Capitol Insurrection

by Clara Tripp

Shortly after the winner of the 2020 Presidential election was announced, I spoke with middle schoolers at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School about whether they believed the election was over — if there was any chance of repercussions or a change in results. All told me no, Biden had certainly won but expressed concern about violence sprouting from supporters of the losing candidate, former President Donald Trump. Two months later, their predictions proved correct.

On Wednesday, January 6th, Trump supporters stormed the steps of the U.S. capitol, the same place President Joe Biden was sworn into office just two weeks later. They smashed windows, scaled walls, and finally gained access to the chamber where Congress convenes, as well as the offices of several high-ranking officials, including that of house leader Nancy Pelosi. The invaders insisted the election had been “stolen” from them, a response to the meeting of Congress earlier that day, certifying electoral votes for the final time. So, what did Fieldston students have to say about this?

Students were overwhelmingly horrified by the incident. “I’m so embarrassed to be American,” “I’m very angry with my country,” and “I’m traumatized, to say the least,” were a few popular responses. Many found it to be an insult to democracy, “It’s really ironic in a bad way that the people who are storming the capitol are waving American flags yet interrupting the democratic process,” said eighth-grader Noa Saviano. Others claimed it was the opposite of a peaceful transition of power.
One student, Gregory Brooks, looked at the situation from a wider perspective. “It’s the cost of free speech. (…) And I’m not talking like going up to the power and making them hear you with your words, I mean choosing violence over reasoning. Too many people are too high on their freedoms and the idiocy of power to realize how blind they are.” They continued, “If one relies on the education provided by the country and doesn’t look outside the box, that leads to people that worship the country almost like a church, with the president as its god.”

A comparison to the police brutality which occurred at Black Lives Matter protests over the summer was also discussed. To anyone watching, the horrendous discrepancies between the treatment of BLM protesters and the insurrectionists were blatant — Capitol police met peaceful BLM protesters with tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons, whereas on the 6th, despite prior knowledge of attacks, Capitol police appeared fully unprepared to defend the hallowed building. In fact, video footage shows police opening gates for and taking selfies with the invaders. “It’s so blatantly obvious how this is a result of white privilege and white supremacy.” Gabriel Dayan, also an eighth-grader, was quick to note. Many other students also shared similar sentiments on their social media platforms.

However, there was controversy concerning the classification of the incident. Some argued that it was treason, “definitely against the government,” while others argued that it perfectly fit the definition of terrorism (“the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government”). Most top news outlets have dubbed it an “assault,” “protest,” or “riot.”

Blame appears to fall on Trump and his supporters, despite the former President’s last-minute tweets urging his followers not to resort to violence. “I believe this has been speculated from the beginning when President Trump started riling and instigating his supporters to be violent. (…) It was 100% Trump’s fault and he deserves to be impeached as soon as possible and thrown in prison as soon as his time is up,” said student Vera Koontz. Dayan agreed, stating, “I think the protesters were responsible for this. As well as their parents, the president, and anyone who perpetuated the pro ‘bigot ideologies.’ I think they should be arrested. Just like the BLM protesters were.”

Since speaking with students, former President Trump has been impeached for “incitement of insurrection” but acquitted of all charges by the House. According to CNN, federal prosecutors claim they’ve charged 234 of the terrorists and opened 400 cases investigating potential criminals. Congress will also move to begin an independent inquiry into the events at the Capitol.