RedState Retracts Much-Criticized Post That Said ‘There Was No Riot in DC’

Josh FeldmanJan 11th, 2021, 2:59 pm
 
Dozens of pro-Trump supporters storm an entrance to the US Capitol

Photo credit: Brendan Smialowski, AFP via Getty Images.

RedState came under intense criticism Monday over a post downplaying the violent rioting at the U.S. Capitol Building.

There was, in fact, a riot at the Capitol, and we know this because we could see it with our own eyes. There has been plenty of documentation of this, between online videos, photographs from people at the scene, and the live television coverage.

Mike Ford tried to downplay the storming of the Capitol — claiming it actually wasn’t a storming of the Capitol — and said, “Aside from a couple of bozos who broke a window to get in, I clearly saw Capitol Police opening doors for protestors to enter, while appearing to cordially chat with them as they strolled through the building. As I’ve mentioned previously, the concerned Americans strolling through Statuary Hall were all staying inside the velvet guide ropes, surely not the actions of a rabid mob bent on violence or chaos as promoted by the media and now my own church.”

As far as the violence that occurred (some of which has been documented in the horrific, disturbing video), Ford’s piece says while there was “some pushing and shoving” and that “a few officers were treated for injuries,” “most of what I saw were protestors waving flags and getting along famously with Capitol Police.”

The post was heavily criticized on social media:

The post got so much criticism that now RedState has retracted the post and replaced it with this editor’s note:

Overnight, this article about January 6th was published. Many details, opinions, and analysis contained in the piece were either incorrect or inappropriate. It has been retracted and we regret its publication.

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Josh Feldman - Senior Editor

Josh Feldman is a Senior Editor at Mediaite. Email him here: josh@mediaite.com Follow him on Twitter: @feldmaniac