January 6 marked the third time since the election that Trump supporters rallied in D.C. over false claims about a stolen election. Each time, they acted more aggressively and the number of violent incidents like stabbings increased.

When pro-Trump extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday, it was fatal — five people died on the Capitol grounds that day, including a Capitol Police officer who was assaulted by the mob. The process to certify the 2020 election results was paused as lawmakers took cover. Members of the public, the media, and more were attacked and threatened, and some insurgents carried extremist symbols like nooses, Confederate flags, and more. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the events “textbook terrorism.”

In the days and weeks leading up to this event, organizers of the Jan. 6 events stated publicly that their mission was “To Invade the Capitol,” yet the Capitol Police were unprepared.

The number of arrests that day — 14 by Capitol Police and 68 by D.C. police — was significantly less than the arrests at the height of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the District, including 289 on June 1 alone. (Law enforcement has made additional arrests for the Jan. 6 events since, and promised the investigation was continuing.) Insurrectionists so far have faced less harsh charges compared to BLM demonstrators, according to CNN. Throughout 2020, protesters for racial equality in D.C. faced tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and aggressive police postures during peaceful protests. Photos and media show officers providing directions and other assistance to insurrectionists.

We spoke with residents in Ward 7 and Ward 8 about their thoughts on the deadly mob that came to their city and how law enforcement treated them.

D. Floyd, MLK Avenue

“What took place on January 6th will go down forever in history … Unfortunately the reasons that resonates most with people of color revolve around America’s consistent display of hypocrisy in the treatment of its own citizens. All last year, as Black and brown people protested alongside our allies for social justice and equality, we were beat over our heads with batons, shot with rubber bullets, and pepper sprayed. Now, in front of the world, the difference is clear. Domestic terrorists from all over the country not only conspired digitally under the guidance [of a] tyrant disguised as our president, but followed through with their plan and migrated in the thousands to the nation’s Capitol building from all entrances and commenced to executing the biggest act of treasonous behavior this country has seen in 100 years.”

Natiya Curtis, Penn Branch

“Sadly, I’m not surprised at what happened. I think the most disheartening thing was that it was no preparation for it. Their excuse was they thought it was going to be a protest and not an insurrection, but anytime Black people protest, they’re more than ready. They have the National Guards, they have full riot gear, and they use that gear. Here you have a group of white people who are coming to do damage and to incite violence, and there was no preparation. That fact that the police who were there let them in, it just goes to show that we live in two different worlds. If your skin is Black or brown, they see you as a threat and if your skin is white, they don’t see you as a threat.”

Charles Curtis, Penn Branch

“Being here, in Southeast, in my house, I had to feel and watch white lynch mob energy. I’m from Richmond, Va. and I’ve seen that energy before. What they were doing at the Capitol is very familiar energy to me. Even a fight that isn’t mine per say still hurts me because I still must watch trauma or something that resembles my father’s and grandfather’s trauma be played out in a way that is handled gently and passively.  Our best response as Black people with what we saw at the Capitol is to go inside, be closer to one another, and acknowledge we really are all we have. There is no savior coming for us except us. There is us being a community, being connected, advocating for our own positions. The government won’t do it. They just showed you that when there is a problem, they’ll take care of each other just fine. No one is going to go to jail — everybody is going to go home and eat fine. If we Black people came with that sort of energy, it would never, ever end that way.”

Dewitt Hood, Anacostia

“I feel that the Trump supporters and Proud Boys coming to D.C. frequently to march and invade the Capitol has been super spreader events that has circulated the COVID-19 virus amongst the people who already live here and to the participants in the protests.  Them breaching the U.S. Capitol building is disrespectful to the establishment of how the government is ran. It’s like those people are doing things out of selfishness. Us as Black people have been held down a lot. If that was Black Lives Matter, they would have beat us or shot us.”

Zyah Brown, Mayfair

“I think it’s sad. I feel like if it was Black or brown people the police would have had a different reaction on what was going on. There would have been shootings, or the police would have tried to hurt them. On Election Night last year, it was scary. My family came to see me perform on a go-go truck — I’m a rapper.  The police came in pushing and shoving, trying to move the truck up a block. My dad tried to protect my little sister and I as the police shoved their bikes toward us. Dad tried getting us out of the way. He was arrested. When the white people went to the Capitol, they just stood there and watched. I feel sad that the Proud Boys and Trump supporters can come and wreck the city. Some people are scared. The police are supposed to help.”

Danielle Champ, Mayfair 

“It’s sad and unfortunate what happened, but it was also preventable. I’ve been at peaceful protests at the Capitol for just wanting communication to be open with officials. I’ve seen the government use their resources for marches they didn’t need to. When people who were a real threat came, look what happened. The Trump supporters had more say so than the residents of D.C.  I know if it were people from Ward 7 or Ward 8 going up there just to talk about things that are going on in D.C. or around the world, we would have been the aggressors. Before that happened at the Capitol, as residents of D.C.  we tried to ask our government: how is it that they allowed the Trump supporters to come destroy the city and go back home yet they want our help to identify these people? That wasn’t our fight. You must ask the people who were there.”

Eshalla Merriam, Ward 7

“I feel unfortunately unsurprised by what took place. I’m very upset — I feel the tensions have been rising for a while. There is an undeniably different response between what happened on Wednesday Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol and what’s happened throughout the summer of 2020 at the Black Lives Matter protests. I think we need to have accountability. It’s important right now that everything that took place has a consequence, a response that matches their actions. If this is excused, it will be allowed to happen again.”