Five years ago, as lawmakers met to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, thousands of Americansviolently stormed the Capitolin an effort to stop the proceedings.
For some, the Capitol Riot feels like it happened yesterday, but in reality, half a decade has passed since that day in the nation's capital.
In the years following,President Donald Trumpdefended many of the rioters, calling them"hostages"and"political prisoners."Once back in office, Trump approved pardons for nearly1,600 people charged in the riot.
"These people have been destroyed," Trump saidin Jan. 2024. "What they've done to these people is outrageous."
Although years have passed, the photos of the insurrection and its aftermath remain as striking as they were on that day.
See some of the images below.
Rioters gather and breach the Capitol
National front pages capture the chaos
A damaged Capitol begins to recover
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:See photos from January 6 Capitol riots, 5 years after attack
