J6 // Part Three: Breach of the Barricades
Timeframe: January 6, 2021 — 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
The March Begins
After Trump’s speech at the Ellipse, a massive portion of the crowd began moving toward the Capitol. While some took a more leisurely pace, others moved with purpose. Among them: Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, and unaffiliated agitators. Many wore tactical gear. Some carried zip ties. Some had bear spray and blunt instruments. Coordinated movement had begun.
Barricades Breached
At 12:53 PM, the outer security perimeter on the northwest side of the Capitol was breached. The few Capitol Police officers stationed there were quickly overwhelmed. Flash bangs were deployed. Barricades were thrown aside. The breach was not an accident — it was tactical, intentional, and timed.
Coordinated Lines
Videos and later indictments show clearly defined “stack” formations: lines of individuals moving shoulder-to-shoulder up Capitol steps, communicating via radios and hand signals. These weren’t spontaneous movements; they were paramilitary in nature.
Law Enforcement Response Falters
Despite the breach, the Capitol was still minimally staffed. Calls for backup were slow, and the bureaucratic tangle between D.C. police, Capitol Police, and federal authorities made rapid coordination difficult. Officers inside began locking interior doors and evacuating lawmakers.
The Rot Spreads
By 1:00 PM, the crowd outside had grown more aggressive, and the idea of “entering” on the Capitol had become the crowd’s unspoken mission. Not everyone who approached the building participated in violence. But almost no one turned away.
Next: Part Four — The Breach