U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut has called for “hundreds of arrests” today after the attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of violent pro-Trump insurrectionists.
Murphy said if arrests aren’t made, the feeling of impunity already felt by pro-Trump extremists will become permanent.
U.S. Attorney John Durham of the district of Connecticut said people should contact the FBI with any information about what he called “that disgraceful and criminal activity.” Durham says his office will aggressive prosecute if Connecticut is the right jurisdiction.
At least two people from Connecticut were arrested in or near the U.S. Capitol yesterday, according to the Hartford Courant.
Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut said the House Appropriations Committee will investigate the police response to the violent pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.
DeLauro is the incoming chair of the Appropriations Committee. She said in a joint statement with Ohio congressman Tim Ryan that the breach of the Capitol raises serious questions about what law enforcement did and what they should have done differently.
Ryan is the chair of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, which directly funds the Capitol Police. DeLauro and Ryan said there was a systemic failure in securing the perimeter and in the response once the building was breached.
Later in the day, Murphy of Connecticut told reporters that Pro-Trump extremists were treated differently by Capitol Police based on race.
Murphy said if the insurrectionists had been Black Lives Matter protesters, there would not have been just a dozen arrests at the Capitol.
“You know those folks walking into the Capitol yesterday, they felt like they were acting without repercussions. Some of them were taking selfies with police officers,” Murphy said.
Murphy is the top Democrat on the Senate appropriations subcommittee that oversees the U.S. Capitol Police.
He wants to investigate why Capitol Police did not ask for more help ahead of Trump’s rally on Wednesday. Murphy also said new protocols need to be in place to defend the Capitol, because National Guard troops took hours to be deployed.
