January 7, 2021

Yesterday, rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building. Their intent was to disrupt the joint session of Congress as lawmakers counted the electoral votes to confirm Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President in the 2020 Presidential Election. 

Rioters inflicted fear, intimidation, and chaos as our lawmakers attempted to go about their work affirming the election results. Images depicting rioters carrying a Confederate battle flag (a symbol of racialized hate, oppression, and violence against black, brown, and indigenous Americans) into the U.S. Capitol Building, erecting a noose in front of the US Capitol, wearing tactical gear and carrying zip ties and guns evoke terror.

Our lawmakers, their staff, and supportive personnel at the US Capitol were asked to barricade themselves under their desks and then evacuated out of concern for their own safety; the city of Washington, D.C. was put on lock down; four people lost their lives; and many more people were injured. The magnitude and implications of yesterday’s events are difficult to comprehend, but it is clear that racism, misinformation, and conspiracy theories motivated these rioters into action and their violent actions were not condemned by the President of the United States.

The evocation of racially motivated intimidation and violence against our government institutions is appalling and hideous. The Monterey County Rape Crisis Center (MCRCC) stands with social and racial justice organizations and movements in condemning these actions. MCRCC’s vision of a Monterey County in which “all individuals treat each other with respect and feel empowered to make safe, healthy choices towards ending sexual violence” is inextricably linked to the prevention of all forms of violence in our community - we remain committed to this vision.