As a sparse crowd gathered in Washington D.C., to support the January 6 Capitol rioters on Saturday, Representative Ted Lieu said the "Justice for J6" rally's poor attendance shows that former President Donald Trump's influence on the Republican Party is finally waning.
"The very small crowd size at the #JusticeforJ6 traitorous rally shows the waning influence of the former President," the California Democrat tweeted.
The "Justice for J6" rally concluded Saturday afternoon without any known major instances of violence. Due to concerns of such possible threats, authorities ensured a hefty police presence at the rally, which was attended by 400 to 450 protesters in support of those who were charged in connection with the Capitol riot earlier this year, according to Capitol Police.
One man allegedly wielding a handgun was detained at the rally around 1:30 p.m. and charged with unlawful activities, reported Capitol Police.
"At this time, it is not clear why the man was at the demonstration," authorities said.
Another man was arrested on a weapons violation for carrying a knife around 12:40 p.m., before the rally kicked off.
Earlier this week, event organizer Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign staffer, told Newsweek that the rally would "100 percent" be peaceful and only aims to show support for the nonviolent Trump supporters who were arrested and charged in connection to the January 6 insurrection.
"We favor lawful prosecution and speedy trials for anyone who did commit violence on January 6 and condemn their actions," Braynard said. "We are cooperating completely with multiple different police forces to ensure that everyone is safe. Anyone with the intent of committing violence has no business at our rally."
The low attendance at the "Justice for J6" rally did not come as a surprise. According to NBC News, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) predicted that roughly 700 people would attend the rally.
Far-right figures had actively discouraged their supporters from showing up with baseless warnings that the federal government set up the rally to catch and arrest further Trump supporters. The "false flag" conspiracy theory, which spread on right-wing social media platforms, likely contributed to the rally's lackluster attendance.
Trump called the rally "a setup" in an interview with The Federalist on Thursday.
"If people don't show up they'll say, 'Oh, it's a lack of spirit.' And if people do show up they'll be harassed," the former president said.
Newsweek reached out to Trump representatives for comment.
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