Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of the U.S. Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) based in Boulder, Colorado, made a statement following the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6:
“President Trump began his tenure trying to dismantle important symbols of our uniquely American democracy, our public lands. For almost four years, we have endured assaults by his administration on many of the staples that our communities, our economy and our country need to thrive, but we believed we would survive as a result of our democracy and the will of the voters. Now, President Trump is inciting rioting, loss of life and the destruction of our core American democratic principles. President Trump must be stopped immediately, and the peaceful transfer of power must be ensured.”
On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building in an attempt to stop the certification of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s victory by the Electoral College. The rioters broke windows and entered the building shouting chants of “Stop the Steal” while waving pro-Trump flags and “Make America Great Again” signs. Once inside, the rioters stormed the U.S. Senate chambers, prompting an evacuation and a lockdown of the building. The incident claimed the life of five people. In a later session, the U.S. Congress recognized Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election. Vice President Mike Pence confirmed this as the head of the assembly.
Photo: © Caleb Fisher on Unsplash
