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John,
You’ve no doubt seen footage of the attack on the Capitol in D.C. It was shocking and heart wrenching for us all.
I was there on the ground as a crisis investigator for Amnesty International. And unfortunately, what you saw on video was only a partial view of the violence that occurred. I want to brief you on what I witnessed, but first — on behalf of my team, I ask you to support our preparation for the days ahead by making an urgent donation to support Amnesty’s crisis response at this critical juncture.
I have been deployed to violent situations all over the world, from Ukraine to Kosovo. But last week, the appalling events I witnessed were close to home. After President Trump riled up his rally at the White House with dangerous rhetoric that provoked violence, thousands of his supporters, including armed white supremacist groups, marched to the Capitol, where police were completely overwhelmed and underprepared.
I was there, documenting and interviewing people in the crowds, as well as journalists and law enforcement.
Here’s a snapshot of what I saw and heard:
Roving groups were hunting for journalists to attack, based on the name of their news agencies, as a mob destroyed the equipment of broadcast news reporters. The crowd was chanting calls to hang the Vice President and hunting for legislators including the Speaker of the House, many of whom were still sheltering in place inside. Individuals toting Trump and Gadsden flags were pushing and threatening law enforcement officers, shouting, “Traitors get the rope!” People were armed with crowbars, pepper spray, truncheons, a pitchfork, and other weapons. People wearing bulletproof vests were masquerading as press. Armed hate groups and militias, including Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, were present in high numbers. Active military personnel were among those in the crowd at the Capitol whom I spoke to during the violence.
John, as a crisis investigator, my research exposes human rights abuses like these in real time, helping to credibly publicize them, to stop them, and to ensure accountability. Our reports are used by the government, decision makers, and even law enforcement agencies to prevent more violations from happening again. My colleagues and I met with D.C. police leadership in advance of the post-election violence, in an effort to push them to prevent and address ongoing threats by white supremacist armed groups, some of whom attacked the Capitol last week.
Now, as we prepare for the precarious and uncertain week ahead, we must each do our part to be vigilant, engaged and responsible. Please, help by making an emergency donation to support Amnesty’s crisis response team.
Amnesty International accepts zero dollars from governments for our research and campaigning — we fully depend on people like you during very uncertain moments like this.
Over the weekend and leading up to Inauguration Day, my team and I are preparing to respond to every single possible scenario. Our primary focus is to ensure that law enforcement officers protect all people from violence. We are also working with elected state and local officials to prevent further intimidation and violence by white supremacist armed groups.
After years abroad as a crisis investigator, I returned to work in the U.S. in 2017 because I felt human rights here at home were in peril. And while Amnesty has been documenting and exposing authoritarian violence and human rights violations around the world for over 60 years, the next few days and weeks will be a bellwether moment for human rights.
Please join with us on the right side of history. »
Sincerely,
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