International Responses to the Capitol Riots
On January 6, 2021, citizens from coast to coast tuned in to their local news stations, only to watch women and men in Neo-Nazi t-shirts clutching Trump signs, and banners with derogatory messages ranging from “Stop the Steal” to “Camp Auschwitz.” In the early hours of the Wednesday afternoon, after Trump’s “Save America Rally” and his call for protesting the recount of electoral votes in the Capitol, supporters — including members from several notable extremist groups such the Proud Boys and Antifa — stormed the under-staffed police lines and burst into the Capitol Building. The misplaced efforts attempted to undermine the electoral procedures which had marked Biden’s presidential victory. As the world watched in horror, many questioned the impregnable nature of American democracy and just how much stress it took to rupture a centuries-old political system of such power. Many world leaders were quick to show their support, many taking the opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting Biden’s victory.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted how a truly democratic system always produces varying winners and losers. She explained, “Both have to play their role with decency and responsibility so that democracy itself remains the winner...President Trump regrettably has not conceded his defeat since November and didn’t yesterday either, and of course, that has prepared the atmosphere in which such events, such violent events, are possible.” By refusing to acknowledge his loss, President Trump was revealing selfishness deeply contradictory to the liberal pioneering image of the land he governed. His manipulations pulled the pillars of the West into question. Many others also took the opportunity to condemn former President Donald Trump for his involvement in exciting and radicalizing the mob. The shock and dismay clearly pointed at a supposed world leader threatening the tenets of representative government.
Irish Foreign Minister Sion Coveny declared, “We must call this out for what it is: a deliberate assault on democracy by a sitting president and his supporters, attempting to overturn a free & fair election! The world is watching!” To many as the events unfolded, Trump’s weaponized words were clearly aimed at the recount of votes. His bold language and violent insinuations during the riot-preceding rally raised questions on whether he was fit for office.
In the Middle East, Iranian Prime Minister Hassan Rouhani called out Trump’s disgraceful actions during a public appearance, calling him a “sick person” who disgraced his country. Western democracy, he stated, had shown its true weakness: “Despite all their scientific and industrial achievements, we see a huge influence of populism. When a sick person takes office, we see how he disgraces his country and creates troubles for the world.” Trump was telling his supporters what they wanted to, and quite frankly, what he wanted to hear. His rhetoric and inflammatory propaganda were no longer fun and games.
In China, where communist ideals have maintained a stronghold, the actions of the dangerous mob represented decades of American hypocrisy: how could a country in the middle of a seeming coup continue to promote human rights and western democracy in foreign campaigns? The Communist Youth League, a movement for young people organized by the Chinese Communist Party, posted images from the Capitol on their blog, captioning, “On the sixth, the U.S. Congress, a most beautiful sight to behold.” These statements sarcastically referenced Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s praising remarks on the pro-democracy protests surrounding an extradition bill in Hong Kong.
Russian foreign affairs committee leader Konstantin Kosachev amplified this sentiment, stating, “I say this without a shadow of gloating. America no longer charts a course and therefore has lost all rights to set it — and even more so to impose it on others.” Other Russian leaders underlined what they viewed as an outdated and ineffective government as the cause of the riots. The oldest democracy in the modern world had wrinkled: America was no longer the exceptionalist model of government. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova spoke of the systemic nature of the issue: “the electoral system in the United States is archaic; it does not meet modern democratic standards, creating opportunities for numerous violations, and the American media have become an instrument of political struggle.”
As the situation unfolded in America, the House of Representatives was quick to recognize former President Trump’s involvement, drafting an Impeachment article calling for his indictment due to “incitement of insurrection.” While Trump in fact made history as the only President to be impeached twice on January 13, 2021, it is up to the Senate to convict him for the part he played in the insurrection. The world will continue to watch whether party politics decides the outcome.
by LAASYA CHIDURUPPA