{"id":18697,"date":"2021-02-02T17:07:50","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T17:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/radiofree.asia\/?guid=bf3466b05fdda93232e1315bcba527aa"},"modified":"2021-02-02T17:07:50","modified_gmt":"2021-02-02T17:07:50","slug":"on-inauguration-day-police-nationwide-went-after-left-wing-protesters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/02\/02\/on-inauguration-day-police-nationwide-went-after-left-wing-protesters\/","title":{"rendered":"On Inauguration Day, Police Nationwide Went After Left-Wing Protesters"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Sacramento<\/a>

The storming of the U.S. Capitol by armed far right activists shifted the political climate for much of the U.S., despite the fact that anti-fascist activists and researchers had been warning for years that this type of response was imminent. While the tone and behavior of the far right had escalated since the election — a result of Donald Trump\u2019s failure to win a second term and his explosive conspiracy theories — the events on January 6 showed that the risks were not just street-level violence that had been seen for years. Inauguration Day, where Trump would be officially replaced, was then the next assumed flashpoint, and state officials and anti-racist activists were bracing themselves for violence as armed far right rallies were planned in every U.S. state. <\/p>\n

This anticipation was met by a change in circumstances: a much more subdued far right presence at state capitols, major cities and Washington, D.C., itself. Instead, the police\u2019s response to many anti-racist protesters, who outnumbered the far right in most locales, gives us insight into one of the threats that left-wing activists may face under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n

A Climate of Fear<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since the violence of January 6 had outpaced predictions, and the rollover from 2020 into 2021 had been marked by such profound violence from pro-Trump groups like the Proud Boys and \u201cpatriot\u201d militias, organizers around the country mobilized counterdemonstrations. Across far right social media platforms, pro-Trump activists seemed poised to escalate the behavior that was on display on the 6th and ramp up potential acts of violence. Since Trump has mainstreamed a conspiracy theory about shadow governments, pedophile cabals and a stolen election, the response from Trump loyalists is one of total government takeover and counterrevolutionary revolt. In the days since the events of the Capitol breach, these same activists have also seen a massive backlash as Trump was removed from social media, alternative platforms like Parler were taken down and law enforcement is rounding up those who stormed the Capitol. <\/p>\n

Since there is often a reliable pattern of far right violence, and because heated acts of seemingly impulsive violence often follow in moments of decline or failure in their movement, it was reasonable to assume that violence at the far right\u2019s January 20 events was possible. In cities around the country, there were dueling protests arranged: where the far right would stage a rally (often armed and threatening), left-wing counterdemonstrators would show up to challenge them, and some also wanted to challenge the incoming Biden administration for its assumed neoliberal policies. As January 20 rounded the corner, the U.S. collectively held its breath as the National Guard was deployed, city law enforcement fortified the areas, and there were concerns that dissidents inside of law enforcement and the military could turn on the state.<\/p>\n

As Inauguration Day proceeded, there was a deviation from this predicted situation despite there being rallies all across the country. In Sacramento, California, many activists expected a mass showing of far right Trump supporters, but only a handful arrived. \u201cThere were very few Trump worshipers on the ground,\u201d says Abner H\u00e4uge, who was in Sacramento and who monitors the far right for Left Coast Right Watch<\/a>. \u201cI think they come out [in] force when they have the green light from the cops behind the scenes…. It\u2019s obvious the cops aren\u2019t [going to] get away with letting them [engage in violence].\u201d The large outcry after January 6 created a climate of pressure on police departments, who have often been criticized for perceived soft-handed approaches to the far right, to respond with indictments and arrests.<\/p>\n

Instead, when around 80 anti-racist protesters marched from Sacramento\u2019s Fremont Park to a local facility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), that is where the police and the National Guard focused their energy, including detaining three people.<\/p>\n