Civil Unrest: Footage from the January 6th Capitol Riots

The acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police has apologized for the department's failure to protect the Capitol complex during the Jan. 6 attack by pro-Trump rioters. In her remarks to Congress, Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman acknowledged that the department fell short of its own high standards and those of lawmakers in the face of an attack by "tens of thousands of insurrectionists determined to stop the certification of Electoral College votes." Although the Capitol Police managed to protect lawmakers, their inability to secure the Capitol immediately allowed the insurrectionists to gain confidence and horrified millions of Americans.

 Five people died, and over 100 people are facing federal charges in connection with the incident. Pittman admitted that her team "did not do enough" despite their preparations for potential violence. The department knew that some of the participants planned to bring firearms and other weapons to the Capitol, and even requested National Guard support, but the Board denied the request for over an hour. Pittman outlined the steps her department is taking to improve communication and take responsibility for their mistakes.