Ohio Trump supporter blames agitators for violentD.C. riot
From the top of a scaffold at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., New Franklin residentKristiEvans watched U.S. history unfold Wednesday.
She didn’t like what she saw.
From her perch, she watched as amity between police and protesters devolved into confrontation. She had gone there in the afternoon to help pressure Congress as it certified the Electoral College vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election. She planned to stay until a 6 p.m. curfew took effect.
Outside the Capitol, law enforcementofficers“started firing tear gas, and theywere small tear gas bombs,” Evans said.“Weweremystified. The cops were standing there looking at us….”
Thousands of rioters overwhelmedpoliceattheCapitol and breached the building. Police say four people died and more than 60 arrests were made Wednesday.
Evans, who is anavid President Donald Trump supporter, said she arrived in Washington on Tuesday, along with others planning to go to a rally on Wednesday
that featured a speech by Trump. On Tuesday, the rallies were dominated by prayers and hymns.
She had reserved a room at the Trump International Hotel, whereshecouldwatch the crowds fromher eighthfloor roomwhen shewasn’t among them.
As she joined thousands of others marching to the Capitol on Wednesday, she said she didn’t expect riots to break out.
“People were actually in a good mood going to the Capitol building,” she said. “We were all peaceful — all of us. We were chanting, ‘USA, USA.’”
On the way, she learned that a woman had been shot and killed at the Capitol building. The 35-yearoldwoman was later identified as a San Diego resident and U.S. Air Force veteran shot by Capitol Police as she climbed into a broken window in the building.
Evans said the news shocked her, because she hadn’t experienced or observed any violence in the two days she’d been in Washington.
“TheNationalGuardcame in, and they were laughing at how peaceful we were,” Evans said.
She said the Capitol Police and other law enforcement were aware that marchers were headed to the Capitol Building, where Congress was certifying the election results. After a delay caused by the riots and a breach of the Capitol building, President-elect Joe Bidenwas certified as the victor. He takes office on Jan. 20.
Evans told her story in a phonecallinterviewWednesday night, still shocked at what transpired. She said that untilWednesday afternoon, hundreds of thousands of people had gathered for the rally before it became a riot.
Evans said that she watched the speech by Trump on a jumbotron screen and was disheartened. That was before she went to the Capitol building.
“My overwhelming feeling was depression,” she said. “We all looked at each other and we were saying: ‘He’s letting go. Trump is letting go.’”
Evans said that the people she talked towanted togo to the Capitol to showsupport for Trump, even though she suspected Congress would go through with certification andVice President Mike Pencewould not dispute the results, as Trump urged.