On Jan. 6, 2021, hundreds of protesters forced their way into the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. during the 2020 Electoral College vote count. The protesters claimed President Joe Biden illegally won the election and former President Donald Trump should be president.
The violent attack threatened the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election and resulted in more than 1 million dollars’ worth of property damage. Hundreds of people were injured and at least nine people, including five police officers and four protesters, died in the days and weeks after the riot.
In the four years since the insurrection, misinformation has continued to spread online. Here are three of the top VERIFY audience questions about the insurrection.
Editor’s note: This article contains graphic content.
THE SOURCES
- FBI
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Public Access to Court Electronic Records
- Secretary of State offices for Maine and Vermont
- District of Columbia Board of Elections
- National Conference of State Legislatures
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Campaign Legal Center
QUESTION #1
Was the Jan. 6 insurrection a “completely unarmed protest”?
THE ANSWER
No, the insurrection was not a completely unarmed protest. Several individuals involved in the mob were charged or sentenced for crimes involving a weapon.
The U.S. Department of Justice has been tracking individuals charged with federal crimes stemming from events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. This list doesn’t include anyone charged with crimes by a local jurisdiction.
According to DOJ records, nearly 600 people have been arrested and charged with assaulting police on Jan. 6, 2021. This includes approximately 171 individuals who were charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.
Prosecutors say weapons don’t necessarily only mean firearms. An array of makeshift weapons were used in the melee, including crutches, flagpoles and stolen police batons, records say.
The FBI still has a flier on its website calling for the public’s assistance in finding an individual accused of planting pipe bombs across the city the night before the riot. On Jan. 2, 2025, the agency released additional information about the suspect to encourage new tips from the public. A reward of up to $500,000 is available for information leading to the individual’s arrest and conviction.
VERIFY searched through court records for several individuals who were sentenced or charged with assault for using some type of weapon.
Lonnie Coffman, for example, pleaded guilty to driving his pickup to the Capitol while in possession of several loaded guns, ammunition, a crossbow, machetes and jars filled with ingredients for Molotov cocktails.
To date, David Nicholas Dempsey was served one of the harshest sentences of the protesters charged. Dempsey was sentenced to 20 years in prison for repeatedly attacking police with flagpoles and other makeshift weapons during the insurrection.
QUESTION #2
Are most people convicted of felony charges in the Jan. 6 insurrection?
THE ANSWER
No, according to court records, most people have been convicted on misdemeanor charges in connection to the Jan. 6 insurrection.
More than 1,570 people have been charged for their role in the insurrection at the Capitol, and nearly 1,000 of them have pleaded guilty to various charges, according to DOJ records and federal court filings.
In December 2024, the DOJ said approximately 321 of those charged have pleaded guilty to felonies, while another 675 individuals have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors.
Once someone is arrested, the charges against them can change as their case makes its way through the courts. For example, an alleged suspect could agree to plead guilty to lesser charges to avoid trial.
Dozens of individuals at the Capitol face many charges, including parading or demonstrating at the Capitol. That is a Class “B” misdemeanor, which could carry a six-month maximum jail sentence. Court records show most of those convicted to date have pleaded guilty to that charge.
QUESTION #3
Can convicted felons from the insurrection still vote?
THE ANSWER
Yes, some people convicted of felonies from the Jan. 6 insurrection can still vote, but it depends on what state they live in.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) estimates nearly 6 million Americans have lost their right to vote because of a criminal conviction.
The right to vote is overseen by both federal and state governments. But only some states have rules restricting felons from the ballot box. So, where a person lives ultimately dictates whether their right to vote will be revoked because of a felony conviction.
Maine, Vermont and the District of Columbia do not take away the voting rights of felons, even while they are incarcerated, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Each jurisdiction confirms felons can vote even while incarcerated. Puerto Rico residents also have no voting restrictions based on criminal convictions, according to the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit watchdog group.
All other 48 states in the U.S. disenfranchise at least some people convicted of felonies while they are in prison.
But the disqualification to vote doesn’t necessarily extend to when a person is released from prison. The NCSL says 37 states restore the voting rights of people convicted of felonies once they are released from prison or after they served their full sentences, including parole and probation.
In the other 11 states, more requirements need to be met before people convicted of felonies can vote again, according to the NCSL. Some states have an additional waiting period after sentence completion and others require additional action, such as a governor’s pardon.
The Associated Press and WUSA’s digital investigative reporter Jordan Fischer contributed to this report.