Yesterday, white supremacists attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempted coup to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College vote for President Elect Joe Biden. The Executive Committee of Surfrider D.C. denounces these acts of violence as well as the political leaders that have incited them and undermined the free and fair election of 2020.
The attack was met with passive law enforcement, in stark contrast to the protests led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to achieve equal rights, stop racist police brutality, and control their land, that are frequently met with rubber bullets, tear gas, and other violent acts. This should come as no surprise; what happened yesterday was a culmination of a history of racism in this country and a constant push of racism, lies, conspiracy theories, and more from President Trump and other political leaders. This is, and always has been, America.
What our country needs most right now is to come together to directly solve pressing issues: a global pandemic, climate change, systemic racism, and more. These issues are also disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. We cannot stand by and watch white supremacists disrupt our democracy. More immediately, we believe that those who committed crimes against democracy must face prosecution to the full extent of the law, and all those who enabled their actions must be held accountable.