WOMP WOMP: 1776 Restoration Movement fails again with pitiful pro-Jan 6th protest at Capitol
Like most things MAGA fanatics touch, Saturday’s “Truth Rally” — held at the Capitol and organized by the 1776 Restoration Movement in support of the Jan. 6th Capitol rioters — ended in failure. Touted as the “biggest J6 event to date” by the right-wing, propaganda-spinning media outlet The Gateway Pundit, the crowd capped at an earth-shattering few dozen — with an equal number of counter-protesters on hand to match.
NBC’s Ben Collins tweeted:
At this January 6th “Truth” rally at the Capitol. Simply not a ton of people here, in the dozens.
Counterprotesters just arrived and there’s probably half as many of them as there are 1/6 Truthers. Was supposed to start at 1 and nothing yet. pic.twitter.com/PJcbMnbpYW
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) September 24, 2022
The rebranded People’s Convoy — now called the 1776 Restoration Movement — was in attendance along with members of other forgettable far-right groups. Their stated purpose? “To stand united against the political persecution of the January 6th political prisoners,” The Daily Beast reported.
Somehow, they misspelled traitors.
Held outside the Capitol building, the protest featured an attendee list of uninspired and forgettable insurrection supporters like 1776 Restoration Movement leader David “Santa” Riddell and former MyPillow Guy associate, election denier, and ex-NMSU professor David Clements.
Ironically, Mike Lindell was also scheduled to speak at the event, along with disgraced Republican New Mexico County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder, Cuoy Griffin.
Riddell, who was arrested in Washington D.C. in July in conjunction with the former People’s Convoy anti-mandate protest — a protest against a mandate that had mostly been rescinded by then — apparently doesn’t care that the violence of Jan. 6th led to the deaths of half a dozen and 140 injured officers.
“To treat everybody just because they are part of a day like they were vicious criminals…I know they’re not,” Riddell told The Daily Beast when asked about the Jan. 6th defendant who allegedly attempted to beat a police officer with a metal bat.
Countering the small group of pro-insurrectionists was a group of democracy-loving anti-coup protesters who showed up and made their presence known.
“Fuck the proud boys! Fuck Ashli Babbitt! Fuck the 1776 restoration movement,” one counter-protestor shouted, as veteran-turned-traitor Ashli Babbitt’s mother stood nearby.
Families of January 6th terrorists held a rally outside the Capitol today, and people showed up to protest shouting “Fuck the proud boys! Fuck Ashli Babbitt! Fuck the 1776 restoration movement!” Ashli Babbitt’s mother confronted them but didn’t say anything.
— Andrew Wortman VOTED BLUE (@AmoneyResists) September 24, 2022
Adding insult to injury, the 1776 Restoration Movement protesters were nearly completely drowned out by a nearby Latino festival, Fiesta DC.
Just days away from a new set of televised House Select Committee on January 6th hearings, the general public seems to have grown tired of the performative displays of unorganized MAGA chaos disguised as patriotism.
But with midterms steadily approaching, we can’t be distracted by the antics. The real danger is in the legislatures — state, local, and federal.
Original reporting by Zach Petrizzo at The Daily Beast.
Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick
