I am not aware if the protesters were armed. DC has very strict gun laws, and in the livestreams I saw, no one was brandishing weapons, save for perhaps some American flags. — NOS4A2

Everything could be considered being armed if the force wielded is strong enough. The agent running scared and the reporter behind him certainly feared the crowd. Moreover the police present was overwhelmed, what more evidence of an asymmetric ratio of 'fire power' do you need?

I do not think the protests under discussion were similar in intensity. The #removeTrump protests and the disruption of the Kavanaugh hearing were heavily funded by political action committees, but I don’t think they resorted to breaking windows, just making noise, the old heckler’s veto. They berated one Senator, but I do not think he was in any danger. — NOS4A2

Agreed and though that might be 'too much' protest it is not threatening existing institutions.

The trump protesters were not organized at all, but certainly more instance. CNN is comparing this 1812. But I cannot see it. As I watched it live, the protesters were mostly meandering about the building, putting MAGA hats on statues and taking pictures. Level-headed people were yelling not to destroy anything. No statues torn down, no spray paint, no weapons, just people yelling. Then 3 or 4 protesters tried to get past the barricade, breaking windows. The woman then tried to jump through the window, unarmed, and she was executed before she could make it through. I suggest watching the raw footage and come to your own conclusions. — NOS4A2

Well the point is not to physically destroy something. The aim is to conquer and they succeeded. I am sure you are aware of the picture below. Why is it such a strong picture, because it is the picture of conquest. Short lived maybe, but the message is stark, your force might not prevail, we will if we want. That is what makes it such a disgrace. The intent of conquest is not the problem, the success of it is. The message to everyone is, the police will not or cannot do much, we are the ones that wield control. That is why the slogan "you did not take back control, we gave it back" is meaningful. The maga hats on statues were similar signs. Everyone who has ever played a strategic war game, from 'stratego' to "Medieval" knows about capturing the flag. A state institution can never let that happen unwillingly.

As to the point that this was insurrection, a coup, not protest, there is no evidence of this. There never was. I’d love to see some evidence for this, because I much rather find myself misinformed than having to believe countless people are lying. Who knows? Perhaps some Q nutter thought this was his moment, but have not seen any evidence of this. — NOS4A2

Well, as Hume famously pointed out the fact that you see a billiard ball move after it has been struck by another billiard ball is no logical evidence of one billiard ball moving the other. Here you see a president telling his followers to march to the capitol because nothing has ever been achieved by weakness and the crowd cheering "stop the steal" while they were interfering in the exact meeting in which Biden would be certified. Of course maybe they just wanted to buy tickets to the next Yankees game but it is not likely. They wanted four more years of Trump. They were there to insist on it happening. I do not know how much more evidence you want or how much would convince you. People are not lying. They might see or interpret things differently from you, but of course they are not lying. That is the exact oddness of your position and that of those so angry at you. You take issue with that, this black and white distinction. However, you buy into it too, they must be lying when they see things differently.

They don’t want anyone to hear these arguments, let alone discuss them. — NOS4A2

Who is 'they'? I think those arguments are heard, actually quite loudly. These arguments got this horde on the steps of the Capitol in the first place no? If no one wanted those arguments to be heard they would not have been. I think they are actually heard way too loud.

And thanks for hearing me out despite the ad hom. — NOS4A2

They might have gotten into this game too many times. There might be a reason for it, I know most to be sensible people. But well, I do not mind tough debate, including the odd ad hominem sometimes.

It’s called law and order: if your Dutch guy tried to storm the royal palace instead of tagging it, he might get shot at too. — Olivier5

Well if a Dutch guy would storm the royal palace all by himself he would not be shot. He would be looked at with incredulity. He might well be shot if he would storm the royal palace together with a whole violent gang. That would be tragic, because someone caught up in a feverous frenzy at the wrong time and place does not deserve to die, even if the shooting might be justified.

(I seem not to be able to copy an image or paste it... too bad, but it is the image of the many sitting at Pelosi's desk, I think you saw it 1000 times.)

How did they occupy the senate building, using potentially lethal force or armed in a way that might enable them to do so or not?

I am not aware if the protesters were armed. DC has very strict gun laws, and in the livestreams I saw, no one was brandishing weapons, save for perhaps some American flags.

I do not think the protests under discussion were similar in intensity. The #removeTrump protests and the disruption of the Kavanaugh hearing were heavily funded by political action committees, but I don’t think they resorted to breaking windows, just making noise, the old heckler’s veto. They berated one Senator, but I do not think he was in any danger.

The trump protesters were not organized at all, but certainly more instance. CNN is comparing this 1812. But I cannot see it. As I watched it live, the protesters were mostly meandering about the building, putting MAGA hats on statues and taking pictures. Level-headed people were yelling not to destroy anything. No statues torn down, no spray paint, no weapons, just people yelling. Then 3 or 4 protesters tried to get past the barricade, breaking windows. The woman then tried to jump through the window, unarmed, and she was executed before she could make it through. I suggest watching the raw footage and come to your own conclusions.

As to the point that this was insurrection, a coup, not protest, there is no evidence of this. There never was. I’d love to see some evidence for this, because I much rather find myself misinformed than having to believe countless people are lying. Who knows? Perhaps some Q nutter thought this was his moment, but have not seen any evidence of this.

And thanks for hearing me out despite the ad hom. They don’t want anyone to hear these arguments, let alone discuss them.