The factual, undeniable truth was that they were there to pressure elected officials into taking what they (wrongfully) believed was a legal course of action to challenge the election results which they (also wrongfully or at least unprovably) believed were fraudulent.
The pressure we are talking about was not force. They didn't have arms (at large). They were not there to take over the building and occupy it permanently. They were not actually going to lynch Mike Pence.
They wanted to find the chamber and protest and be unruly and hopefully shout loud enough to get their way.
That's not insurrection. It's more like trespassing.
Yes there were some scuffles in which a few people were injured on both sides as happens during most all protests. One protestor was actually shot by an over-eager officer who was in no way in any physical danger, but, you know, I say to that protestor, play stupid games win stupid prizes.
But not a single capital police officer was seriously injured or killed, the one who committed suicide did so because he had mental health issues, and by and large the "rioters," strolled around taking pictures and basically having no idea what to do next once they gained access to the buidling because they were nerdy, dorky, poser granola white folks who, like your grandma trying to be hip and dance to "modern," music, thought it was the "in" thing to be doing at the moment but in reality had no clue what they were doing.
They got swept up in the moment and assuredly that carries some criminal liability for some of them.
But it's not insurrection or treason. That charge is completely bogus and anyone (
@Foobio included) charging that it's merited is a lying douchebag.
