I had lived through Communism and I know the tyranny and the pain it had inflicted on many families." (She declined to comment.)īut to community advocates who saw the South Vietnamese flag, or the Yellow Flag, as a symbol of democracy and unity, its presence at a riot was both alarming and infuriating. "It's a reminder of my roots and heritage. "This flag to me is an anti-Communist flag," Michelle Le, a Seattle-based real estate broker who flew the banner at the rally, wrote in a Facebook post, which has been deleted. Many of the flag carriers were Vietnamese Americans who, in support of President Donald Trump, have often used the emblem to express nostalgia for a lost home and opposition to communism. The yellow-and-red-striped banners of the former South Vietnam flew above crowds of rioters all over the Capitol grounds. But for Vietnamese Americans, it's the sight of a defunct flag - representing a country that ceased to exist nearly a half-century ago - that brought up painful questions about identity, trauma and the legacy of U.S. He said that “mob violence goes against everything I believe in,” adding “no true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence.”ĪBC News' Phaedra Singelis contributed to this report.Ensigns bearing Confederate and neo-Nazi imagery defined the Jan. Capitol, Trump condemned the violence in a video message released by the White House. Hours after he was impeached for the second time by the House for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. Capitol and clashed with law enforcement, eventually resulting in the death of five people.Īs bipartisan pressure mounted on Trump to respond, he called on rioters to be “peaceful” and “go home” but did so while repeating his false claim that the election was stolen from him and told the mob, “we love you.” A week later, the president has publicly refused any responsibility for his rhetoric and when pressed on Tuesday, he claimed his comments were “totally appropriate.” He told his supporters that a strong response is necessary to “take back our country.” Shortly after, the pro-Trump mob breached the U.S. Larry Rosenthal, chair and lead researcher of the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies, said that the “Stop the Steal” mob was generally made up of two groups - right-wing populists, whom he described as part of Trump’s most faithful “rally-goers.” Some of them did not engage in violence and were "not prepared for insurrection." There were also right-wing militia groups that represent two overlapping “currents” of the far right movement: white nationalism and anti-government. Capitol last Wednesday, symbols of white supremacy and extremist right-wing militias were displayed by rioters on flags, banners and clothing scattered in a sea of American flags, pro-Trump banners and campaign memorabilia.Īccording to experts who study far-right movements in the U.S., the images illuminated some of the beliefs held by some “extremist” individuals and groups who embraced President Donald Trump's repeated false claims that the election was stolen from him and responded to his call for “strong” action as he urged supporters to march to the Capitol.
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