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The Justice for J6 rally was a non-partisan demonstration that occurred on September 18, 2021, in support of hundreds of people who were arrested and charged following the United States Capitol attack (which took place on January 6). The event attracted 100-200 activists and proceeded mostly peacefully. It was organized by a former Trump campaign staffer. It was noted for extensive security preparations, and concerns over possible unrest.

Background

In August, a Justice for J6 rally was organized by Look Ahead America, a nonprofit led by former Trump campaign staffer Matt Braynard, was scheduled to be held on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on September 18. The rally was intended as a show of support for people charged for participating in the attack. Lawmakers and law enforcement officials expressed their concerns over possible unrest at the rally.

Preparations

In response to the rally's announcement, the Metropolitan Police Department was activated for September 18. There were also discussions about restoring the fencing surrounding the Capitol, though they were initially met with bipartisan disapproval. It was unclear how many people planned to attend the event.

A counter-rally was subsequently scheduled on the same day, heightening concerns over participants of both events clashing. The Department of Homeland Security shared an intelligence briefing memo to state and local law enforcement agencies, which warned of potential violence at the rally and on the day before. The memo did not identify a specific or credible plot associated with the event, but it also warned that individuals and small groups can "mobilize to violence with little-to-no warning, particularly in response to confrontational encounters with perceived opponents or calls for escalation by key influencers."

The protective fencing was restored along with facial recognition cameras around the Capitol by September 13, and multiple congressional offices were slated to close on September 17. Although the fencing was removed shortly after the rally, the facial recognition cameras continue to be deployed around the capitol.

Rally

100 to 200 demonstrators attended the rally. Capitol Police made an estimation that a maximum of 450 people were in the crowd, which was made up of demonstrators, counter-demonstrators, and journalists, with the latter reported to even outnumber the demonstrators. No member of congress attended though Mike Collins, who is running for Georgia’s 10th District, and Joe Kent, who is running in Washington’s 3rd district did.

The event passed with minor incidents while remaining a generally peaceful demonstration. Four people were arrested. Two people attending the rally were arrested for outstanding firearms violation warrants. One man arrested at the event was found to be in possession of a large knife, while another was found to be in possession of a gun. One of those arrested was a US Customs and Border Protection officer who will not be prosecuted.

The rally was noted for its contradictory statements by foreign outlet "Independent."

The event saw heightened security presence by the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies.

Reactions

Ahead of the event, Braynard criticized the security measures established in response to the event, saying they were designed to discourage and deter participants. In response to the planned rally, former U.S. President Donald Trump called it a "setup" for Republican voters, saying, "If people don't show up they'll say, 'Oh, it's a lack of spirit.' And if people do show up they'll be harassed." For the most part, Congressional Republicans had distanced themselves from the demonstration, saying little if anything about it. On social media, far-right groups, such as the Proud Boys, and certain allies of such groups, had been urging their members and others not to attend the event.

According to Mother Jones, extremism experts criticized the media for exaggerating the potential for violence at the rally prior to it taking place.

Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) described security at the event as more "well-prepared" in contrast to the January 6 Capitol attack.

In April 2021, both Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) had denounced the treatment of 6 of the January 6th prisoners as abusive: “Solitary confinement is a form of punishment that is cruel and psychologically damaging,” Warren said, adding: “And we’re talking about people who haven’t been convicted of anything yet.” Warren also stated that she was “worried that law enforcement officials are deploying it to ‘punish’ the Jan. 6 defendants or to ‘break them so that they will cooperate.” Durbin added that such conditions should be a “rare exception."

Since the Justice for J6 rally, A DC judge inquired about the treatment of January 6th protestors. Once this inquiry went unfulfilled, District Judge Royce Lamberth held the warden in contempt. On October 18th, 2021, United States Marshalls visited D.C.'s Central Detention Facility to witness first hand the conditions of alleged January 6th protestors.

Notes

1. The fencing had been raised in the aftermath of the Capitol attack, and subsequently removed in July.

References

1. ^ LeBlanc, Paul (September 15, 2021). "Here's everything we know about the September 18 right-wing rally in DC". CNN. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
2. Schnell, Mychael (September 14, 2021). "Sept. 18 rally organizer asks attendees not to wear pro-Trump clothing". The Hill.
3. "Justice for J6: What to know about Saturday's rally for those arrested in the Capitol riots". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
4. Kevin Johnson; Bart Jansen; Savannah Behrmann; David Jackson. "Rally for Capitol riot suspects draws small crowd of protestors amid heavy security". USA TODAY.
5. "Justice for J6 Rally in DC This Weekend: What to Know". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
6. ^ Deliso, Meredith (September 18, 2021). "'Justice for J6' updates: Sparse crowd met with massive police presence at right-wing rally". ABC News. Retrieved September 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
7. Cohen, Marshall (January 5, 2025). "'Deck chairs on the Titanic': How Trump already upended DOJ's ongoing efforts to arrest and prosecute January 6 rioters". CNN. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
8. Reeves, Jay; Mascaro, Lisa; Woodward, Calvin (January 11, 2021). "Capitol assault a more sinister attack than first appeared". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021. Under battle flags bearing Donald Trump's name, the Capitol's attackers pinned a bloodied police officer in a doorway, his twisted face and screams captured on video. They mortally wounded another officer with a blunt weapon and body-slammed a third over a railing into the crowd. 'Hang Mike Pence!' the rioters chanted as they pressed inside, beating police with pipes. They demanded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's whereabouts, too. They hunted any and all lawmakers: 'Where are they?' Outside, makeshift gallows stood, complete with sturdy wooden steps and the noose. Guns and pipe bombs had been stashed in the vicinity. ... The mob got stirring encouragement from Trump and more explicit marching orders from the president's men. 'Fight like hell,' Trump exhorted his partisans at the staging rally. 'Let's have trial by combat,' implored his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, whose attempt to throw out election results in trial by courtroom failed. It's time to 'start taking down names and kicking ass', said Republican Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama. Criminals pardoned by Trump, among them Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, came forward at rallies on the eve of the attack to tell the crowds they were fighting a battle between good and evil
9. ^ Zanona, Melanie; Wild, Whitney (August 27, 2021). "Renewed fears of political violence grip Capitol Hill ahead of right-wing rally". CNN. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
10. ^ LeBlanc, Paul (September 6, 2021). "Ex-FBI official says law enforcement needs to take upcoming right-wing rally in DC 'very seriously'". CNN. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
11. ^ Jansen, Bart; Carless, Will; Johnson, Kevin; Rouan, Rick (September 17, 2021). "'Might just be me and a bullhorn': Meet the unlikely organizer of the Justice for J6 rally in DC". USA Today. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
12. Sands, Geneva (September 16, 2021). "DHS warns of potential for violence surrounding the 'Justice for J6' rally in intelligence brief". CNN. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
13. Gonzalez, Oriana (September 13, 2021). "Police to reinstall fence around U.S. Capitol ahead of pro-Capitol riot rally". Axios. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
14. Treene, Alayna (September 16, 2021). "Senate offices closing ahead of "Justice for J6" demonstration". Axios. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
15. Rupar, Aaron (September 17, 2021). "The Justice for J6 rally is Trump supporters' latest attempt at revisionist history". Vox. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
16. Jones, Perris (September 18, 2021). "4 arrested during protests, confrontations around Justice for J6 rally on Capitol Hill". FOX 5. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
17. ^ Hernandez, Joe (September 18, 2021). "Hundreds Rally In Support Of Capitol Riot Suspects Amid Heightened Police Presence". NPR. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
18. ^ "Rally for Capitol riot suspects draws small crowd of protestors amid heavy security". USA Today. September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
19. ^ Sophia Barnes, Associated Press (September 18, 2021). "Crowd Rallies in DC to Support Jan. 6 Defendants; Capitol Police Arrest 4". NBC 4 Washington. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
20. "Federal officer carrying gun at J6 rally won't be charged and officials won't say why". September 21, 2021.
21. "Capitol rally 'Justice for J6' seeks to sanitise the insurrection". September 18, 2021.
22. Ward, Myah (September 16, 2021). "Trump calls upcoming 'Justice for J6' rally a 'setup'". Politico. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
23. Broadwater, Luke (September 15, 2021). "Republicans, Wary of Political Fallout, Steer Clear of Rally for Riot Suspects". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
24. Lejeune, Tristan (September 18, 2021). "Republicans keep distance from 'Justice for J6' rally". The Hill. Retrieved September 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
25. Breland, Ali (September 17, 2021). "Extremism experts: The media is overhyping potential violence at tomorrow's "Justice for J6" rally". Mother Jones. Retrieved October 6, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
26. Cheney, Kyle; Desiderio, Andrew; Gerstein, Josh (April 19, 2021). "Jan. 6 defendants win unlikely Dem champions as they face harsh detainment". Politico. Retrieved October 20, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
27. "US marshals inspect DC jail and speak with Jan. 6 inmates". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 20, 2021.

• 2021 protests
• 2021 United States Capitol attack
• Protests in Washington, D.C.
• September 2021 events in the United States