After Capitol rioters faced a backlash from the media, many attempted to justify their actions by comparing their insurrection to the summer’s Black Lives Matter protests. However, the stark contrast between these two groups contradicts their false claims.

The purpose of Black Lives Matter protests has been to raise awareness and prevent future racial bias in cases of police brutality. Essentially, BLM activists aimed to save the lives of other people of color who could die at the hands of police if no one addressed this moral issue. 

On the other hand, the Capitol storming consisted of pro-Trump extremists attempting to overturn the election results. They intended to prevent the peaceful transfer of power and refused to accept the defeat of their idol, insisting that the election was rigged.

The riot at the Capitol also resulted in an unthinkable amount of violence against the federal government, its officials, and its property. At BLM protests, most participants maintained their peace. The protests that included looting and property destruction were instigated by individuals using the movement as an excuse to rob stores and commit vandalism. Meanwhile, the majority of Capitol rioters believed they were achieving their goal by breaking into the Capitol. Almost all of the extremists trespassed onto a federal property in alignment with their riot’s objective.

An astounding disparity between the two situations was the police response—rather, the lack thereof in the Capitol riot. Despite President Trump announcing beforehand the gathering that would be held in Washington D.C., law enforcement was easily overwhelmed by the mass of supporters who attended. Even after they managed to control the mob, the police simply walked them out of the Capitol, with very few on-scene arrests and deaths. Yet, at countless BLM protests, participants were inhumanely targeted with tear gas, rubber bullets, and other weapons. These people were arrested on sight for exercising their 1st Amendment rights, whereas at the Capitol, insurrectionists who wielded dangerous weapons were permitted to walk away freely. While BLM protests were met with dominating forces, Capitol rioters effortlessly overpowered the minimal amount of police officers present, directly proving the double standard of BLM protests versus sedition against America’s government.

“If it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they would have been treated very, very different than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol,” President-Elect Biden expressed. “We all know that’s true. And it’s unacceptable. Unacceptable.”

President Trump’s biased response to his supporters at the Capitol in comparison to BLM protestors showed direct hypocrisy; in the past, he degraded seekers of racial justice, referring to them as “thugs” and “agitators.” While other officials were shocked and disgusted by the events at the Capitol, Trump praised their actions and provoked them when saying, “We will never give up. We will never concede.”

Michelle Obama acknowledged the bias in favor of those who attended the Capitol riot in contrast to Black Lives Matter activists. In a social media post, she stated, “And for those who call others unpatriotic for simply taking a knee in silent protest, for those who wonder why we needed to be reminded that Black Lives Matter at all, yesterday made it painfully clear that certain Americans are allowed to denigrate the flag and symbols of our nations. They’ve just got to look the right way. What do all these folks have to say now?”