There were harsh judgments about the control of the rebellion from the US Congress. According to the professor emeritus, the court wanted to make the 2021 epiphany a precedent.
Jani Parkkari,
Sampo Vaarakallio
The convictions for the attack on the US Congress have no effect Donald Trump’s to popularity. The perpetrators of the takeover were ardent Trump supporters, for whom the former president appears to be the only savior.
This is the opinion of the professor emeritus of American studies Markku Henriksson.
– It still seems that Trump’s support does not waver from these blows and bumps. Rather, they increase it.
Markku Henriksson stresses that supporters’ loyalty to Trump will remain.
They remember that Trump has hinted that he can pardon those convicted of the congressional seizure if he is re-elected president in next year’s elections.
– If Trump were to condemn the attackers of the congress building in harsh words, then his support base would decrease significantly, says Henriksson.
Hard sentences for managers
More than a thousand people have so far been charged with involvement in the January 2021 Congress attack.
At that time, approximately 2,000 supporters of President Donald Trump broke into the US Capitol with the aim of preventing the confirmation of the presidential election result.
On Tuesday, the court handed down its heaviest sentence so far.
Former leader of the far-right group Proud Boys Henry “Enrique” Tarrio39, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for conspiracy to promote insurrection and obstruction of Congress.
The prosecutor described Tarrio as a revolutionary and originally asked for a 33-year prison sentence.
Judgments send a warning
Emeritus professor Markku Henriksson says that the sentences have been surprisingly long.
He recalls that right after the attack, the public debate in the United States was divided whether anything would follow from this and whether anyone would be sentenced.
– I think that a precedent has been sought here. This has been aimed at preventing similar companies in the future.
Markku Henriksson says that the purpose of harsh sentences is to show that the United States is a functioning democracy.
It was intended to send a message to the people that in a democracy we act within the framework of the law, and that the country will not bow to the pressure of groups such as the Proud Boys and another far-right group, the Oath Keepers.
Enrique Tarrio was not in Washington on the day of the January 6 attack, but according to the prosecutor, the leader of the Proud Boys recruited people for the attack and encouraged them to stay in the Capitol.
According to Markku Henriksson, this interpretation of the law may also be connected to Donald Trump. The former president may also be convicted of inciting an attack on Congress.
– Tarrio was sentenced for steering. In theory, it’s not a terribly long way to Trump. He may also be threatened with a conviction for incitement and manipulation, the emeritus professor reflects.