Trump-fueled violence is not over. Now is not the time to let our guard down.
Although the 'Justice for J6' rally avoided violence, we cannot let our guard down and assume that the worst is behind us.
A planned rally of right-wing extremists protesting the treatment of Jan. 6 insurrectionists fizzled this past weekend with little fanfare. Just a couple of hundred protesters showed up with the news media and law enforcement officers easily outnumbering them.
Coverage of the event labeled it a “dud,” while others criticized journalists for giving it extended airtime. And while the "Justice for J6" rally avoided the violence of its namesake and was organized by a man seemingly more suited for an episode of "Veep," we cannot let our guard down and assume that the worst of Trump-fueled violence is behind us.
In August, a man was arrested after making a bomb threat near the U.S. Capitol. Just over a week ago, another man was caught near Democratic National Committee headquarters with a bayonet, a machete and neo-Nazi paraphernalia. These incidents come as hate crimes, especially those targeting Black and Asian people, have hit a 12-year high in the United States.