[slaymaker1907]

This is a dumb argument because they were at least trying to IMPLEMENT A COUP. It seems pretty clear to me that they would have assaulted and killed representatives if they would have gotten the chance which they very nearly did.

Also, don't call them "protestors". The nicest term I can think of for them would be rebels since they were in open rebellion to the United States. Some people at the capital that day were protestors, but the people who stormed the capital went far beyond protest.

[concordDance]

I think it's worth bearing in mind a few things:

1. Coups don't have to be violent.

2. The hypothetical coupers would not have believed it to be a coup, merely reinstating the rightful president.

3. Those invading the capitol were likely mostly just doing because they could rather than because they had a concrete plan on what they'd do if they found Pence and the representatives. I expect the vast vast majority would have done nothing more than shout slogans.

4. In general, when it comes to ones Outgroups there's a strong tendency to assume the worst at every opportunity. You might want to work to counteract that tendency (if only so you can better understand said Outgroup).

[ClumsyPilot]

Back in the day, my grandparents told me people get killed at rock concerts if they get caught in the moshpit.

This reads at a similar level of credebility. Compate the footage from the capitol with footage of Ukrain protests back in the day.

[TheBlight]

Funny "coup" where none of the plotters were armed.

[anigbrowl]

No, not really. Quite a few successful coups have been essentially bloodless and relied on a combination of surprise and bluff. Napoleon's actual seizure of power was disorganized to put it mildly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_of_18_Brumaire

Also, there are charges pending against people who had a stash of firearms in a hotel in Virginia, just across the Potomac, and planned to bring them over at a later stage. Firearms are largely banned in DC so the idea was to take over the Congress first and then establish a defensive perimeter.

Now, I didn't say it was a good plan.

[guerrilla]

Does incompetence and failure bear on intent? I don't think that usually flies in court.

[TheBlight]

Is it remotely plausible to believe a group of unarmed protestors were seriously attempting to gain control over the most powerful superpower the world has ever seen with their barehands? This narrative strains credulity, counselor.

[unishark]

It's plausible that it's what some people were personally thinking (or a better word might be "LARPing"). But for the reasons you point out, it's not realistic to suggest that the loftiness of the goal implies the danger was historically-serious, or requiring some kind of revolutionary increase of law enforcement (beyond handling protests at the capital more wisely next time).

[guerrilla]

That does seem to be the intent they announced.

[Thorrez]

> 17 charged with weapons crimes

> These include people arrested outside the Capitol grounds with weapons like guns and Molotov cocktails

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/04/us/capitol-ar...