Inside the Jan. 6 Capitol riot: Part 1 of 2

Consider This from NPR

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🗓️ 4 January 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

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Summary

In this NPR investigation, we take a close look at the brutal violence that took place on Jan. 6, 2021, the investigation that followed, and the campaign Trump has waged to whitewash it.

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This episode was produced by Monika Evstatieva, with audio engineering by Robert Rodriguez.

It was edited by Barrie Hardymon.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	A warning, this podcast includes explicit language, depictions of violence, and references suicide.
0:09.7	It's around 2.30 p.m. on January 6th, 2021. Dozens of police officers are surrounded by a violent mob, thousands more behind them.
0:22.6	They need to retreat, inside, now.
0:26.6	Some are bleeding from the fighting outside.
0:30.6	A few collapsed just trying to climb a flight of stairs.
0:34.6	Go, go! Go! I got you.
0:39.6	Capital, lock these doors.
0:40.1	Let's go.
0:41.0	Everybody inside.
0:43.0	They get inside behind a couple glass doors
0:43.6	in a police line.
0:44.8	Alarms are blaring.
0:46.7	But they have a moment to breathe.
0:49.2	Some cops are on the floor
0:50.4	of a hallway.
0:51.4	One holds up his bloody finger.
0:53.5	Brogan.
0:54.5	I want to get a rat off.
0:56.5	I need fucking help.
0:57.5	Several have this dazed look, a thousand yards stare.
1:00.5	Others can barely keep their eyes open.
1:03.5	I can't breathe.
	...

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