A thin blue line couldn’t stop mob

Washington’s Capitol Building was still under construction in August 1814, when parts were burned in an attack by British troops. It came as retaliation for the burning of their Canadian capital 18 months earlier, and was known as the sacking of York, today’s Toronto. These events occurred in the War of 1812, and there had not been a breach of the U.S. Capitol since then — until Wednesday.

The entire world saw how easy it was for a volatile mob to breach the Capitol Building by forcing doors, breaking windows and occupying the Senate chambers. Remarkable scenes flashed around the globe, of protesters nonchalantly posing for photos on the Senate dais, sitting in the Speaker’s Office with feet up on Nancy Pelosi’s desk, etc.

Having seen so many reports of riots and protests around the world, but especially in the U.S. in recent years, there are always heavily-armed police and security contingents on hand for when things get out of control.

Amazingly, only one protester was killed and six injured. Despite so much advanced warning about huge protests planned in Washington, the U.S. Capitol security services seemed woefully unprepared for this onslaught. Eventually a curfew was called, and just after it came into effect at 6 p.m., busloads of National Guard troops began to arrive on scene.

Initial reports are they were ordered by Vice President Mike Pence, but it was far too little and too late for these enforcements to supplement the U.S. Capitol’s very thin Blue Line.

Bernie Smith, Parksville