Ever since the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a robust debate has ensued over what to call them. That there was a riot is obvious enough and generally uncontroversial. Referring to it as the storming of the Capitol also seems undeniably accurate. In a formal government setting, the House used the term “attack on the United States Capitol” in the official name of the Jan. 6 committee. This, too, is a reasonably neutral description.
With stronger terms, things start to get more contentious. At the heart of the matter is how one views the context of what happened at the Capitol during those climactic hours—not just what was done, but why it was done, and ultimately to what degree it should be seen as part of former President Donald Trump’s broader plot to overturn the election.
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