
<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Along with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2021/01/06/the-protesters-are-in-the-building-us-capitol-goes-on-lockdown/?sh=27c4bf8e30c1">shutting down</a> the proceedings of the U.S. Congress and forcing lawmakers to flee to safety during an important vote on the presidential election, the pro-Trump mob that stormed through the Capitol on Wednesday stole equipment, ripped down signs, and damaged property—brazen actions they could be prosecuted for, many of which were caught on camera. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>In a photo snapped by Getty Images, an unidentified vandal wearing a “Trump” ski cap appeared to steal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) podium, all while smiling and waving at the camera.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A Trump supporter carries a podium around the U.S. Capitol after protesters breached the Capitol Building during a joint session of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Congress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Congress</a> in Washington, DC 📷: <a href="https://twitter.com/WinMc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WinMc</a> <a href="https://t.co/lsF7wg6BI5">pic.twitter.com/lsF7wg6BI5</a></p>&mdash; Getty Images News (@GettyImagesNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/GettyImagesNews/status/1346916320965750788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Trump supporters took over Pelosi’s office, upending tables, ripping down pictures, and removing a sign posted by the entrance to be used as a “trophy,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/06/us/washington-dc-protests/a-sign-from-nancy-pelosis-office-was-taken-as-a-trophy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the <em>New York Times</em></a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Among the terrorists invading Capitol today was a man (left) wearing a sweatshirt saying, “Camp Auschwitz”:<a href="https://twitter.com/mikedebonis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mikedebonis</a> <a href="https://t.co/NxhjdPqXBG">pic.twitter.com/NxhjdPqXBG</a></p>&mdash; Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1346971421134741505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Richard Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Arkansas, posed for the <em>New York Times</em> with a note stolen from Pelosi’s office, saying he didn’t steal it because he “left a quarter” on Pelosi’s desk.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That’s Richard “Bigo” Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Ak., showing off the personalized envelope he took from Speaker Pelosi’s office. He insisted he didn’t steal it — “I left a quarter on her desk.” <a href="https://t.co/aST7MCoRwP">pic.twitter.com/aST7MCoRwP</a></p>&mdash; Matthew Rosenberg (@AllMattNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllMattNYC/status/1346959236421578754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>As they attempted to break inside the Capitol, crowds of Trump supporters shattered windows all across the Capitol in <a href="https://twitter.com/hunterw/status/1346935727263768578?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">footage</a> caught on tape.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pro-Trump rioters shatter a window at the US Capitol and enter the building <a href="https://t.co/7V2SR34L6F">https://t.co/7V2SR34L6F</a> <a href="https://t.co/wxkZCA7B1A">pic.twitter.com/wxkZCA7B1A</a></p>&mdash; CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1346925380209434624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Outside the Capitol, a group of Associated Press reporters were chased from their camera equipment by rioters, prompting a crowd to then destroy it. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Inter-MAGA argument breaking out where one guy is urging the crowd to let the process play out. <br><br>That&#39;s not going over well. <br><br>&quot;Fuck the process!&quot; says one person. &quot;I&#39;m 44 years old I&#39;ve been getting fucked by the process my whole life.&quot;</p>&mdash; Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) <a href="https://twitter.com/pdmcleod/status/1346938773959950336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p><em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>has reached out to Pelosi&#8217;s office and the Capitol police about the extent of the damage.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">NOT SO BIG NUMBER&nbsp;</h4>



<p>13. That’s how many people have been arrested as of 5:30 p.m. EST,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/jeffjarvis/status/1346963121550856203?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to D.C. police</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>A photo of Barnett sitting in Pelosi’s office went viral on Wednesday.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Extremist who took over Nancy Pelosi’s office, per Fox News. <a href="https://t.co/byRnH8U93n">pic.twitter.com/byRnH8U93n</a></p>&mdash; Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanLizza/status/1346923390867824641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR&nbsp;</h4>



<p>D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser did not say whether rioters would be arrested if they stayed out past the mandated 6 p.m. EST curfew on Wednesday in an&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1346954354654380037?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interview</a>&nbsp;with CNN. At the Capitol, trespassers have been told they must leave by 6 p.m. or be arrested,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1346951962273714176?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to Politico</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“Electoral College ballots rescued from the Senate floor,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said on Twitter. “If our capable floor staff hadn’t grabbed them, they would have been burned by the mob.” </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/SenJeffMerkley/status/1346938705932648451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1346938705932648451%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fembedly.forbes.com%2Fwidgets%2Fmedia.html%3Ftype%3Dtext2Fhtmlkey%3D3ce26dc7e3454db5820ba084d28b4935schema%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FSenJeffMerkley%2Fstatus%2F13469387059326484513Fs3D20image%3D
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<p><em>by Jack Brewster, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Tag: U.S Congress

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Signs, Podiums, TV Equipment: Trump Supporters Loot And Destroy During Capitol Hill Takeover