Prof. Andy Hira Examines U.S. Capitol Siege

Global News BC and the Vancouver Sun interviewed Professor Andy Hira about the January 6, 2021 siege on the U.S. Capitol building. A mob of Trump supporters stormed the building during a rally to contest Congress’ certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results. Five people died, police officers were injured, and 50 people were arrested in the wake of the siege.

Professor Hira, in speaking to Global News BC, stated that, “Clearly, Trump will go down as one of the most despicable politicians in U.S. history, and so the immediate reaction [to what has happened] is one of profound sadness and shock.” However, he also noted that “U.S. institutions have proven themselves to be resilient, and it’s very fortunate that republicans, including Mitch McConnell have not sided with Trump, and therefore, the institutions are holding strong against his populist uprising.”

Hira, in his Vancouver Sun interview, said that “he is optimistic that once Trump is gone from office there will be a return to some sense of normalcy.”

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in these media interviews belong solely to the interviewees, and not necessarily to Simon Fraser University's Department of Political Science.