Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday downplayed the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, saying it was not an insurrection but rather a "protest" that "ended up devolving, you know, in a way that was unfortunate, of course."
DeSantis, speaking in an interview on the podcast of comedian Russell Brand, said the idea that Jan. 6 "was a plan to somehow overthrow the government of the United States is not true, and it's something that the media had spun up."
The violent attack by a mob of supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump was fueled by lies that the 2020 election was stolen. Rioters stormed the building in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election victory, breaking windows, fighting police officers and forcing lawmakers and former Vice President Mike Pence to flee for their lives. Nine deaths were linked to the attack, including four officers who later died by suicide.
"If somebody is honestly doing an insurrection against the U.S. government, then prove that that's the case and I'll be happy to accept it, but all you're showing me is that there were a lot of protesters there and it ended up devolving, you know, in a way that were unfortunate, of course. But to say that they were seditionists is just wrong," said DeSantis.
More than 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Over 600 of them have pleaded guilty, while approximately 100 others have been convicted after trials decided by judges or juries. More than 550 riot defendants have been sentenced, with over half receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from six days to the 18 years Rhodes received.
More than 250 people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement who were trying to protect the Capitol, including more than 85 accused of using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.
The Florida governor has made similar comments in the past dismissing that the attack was an insurrection, saying at a January 2022 news conference that it was "an insult to people" to call it an insurrection when "nobody has been charged with that."
At a campaign event in June in New Hampshire, DeSantis said he "didn't enjoy seeing" what happened on Jan. 6 but said "we've got to go forward on this stuff. We cannot be looking backwards."
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