Thursday, January 07, 2021
AP: Capitol event was riot or insurrection, not coup attempt
What happened at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday? A protest? A riot? A coup attempt? The choice of descriptions is important for journalists, and a memo from a John Daniszewski, vice president for standards at The Associated Press, provides valuable guidance. –Al Cross, director and professor, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues
Colleagues,
We are being questioned about the correct language to apply to the protesters backing President Donald Trump in Washington and the dramatic events taking place today at the U.S. Capitol.
AP style in the event of civil disturbances allows editors and journalists to choose the term that in their judgment best applies. So far, our main story has spoken of a “chaotic protest aimed at thwarting a peaceful transfer of power,” a “melee” and a “raucous, out-of-control scene.”
MOB, RIOT OR INSURRECTION OK: Considering that armed protesters broke into the building, overwhelmed Capitol police, interrupted the process of certifying Electoral College votes and forced the evacuation of the vice president of the United States and members of Congress, “protest” may be too mild a word for the action without surrounding it with strong adjectives and context, such as “violent protest” or “rioting protesters.” Calling it a “mob” or a “riot” would also be appropriate, especially when the protesters’ actions were wild, widespread, violent and uncontrolled. The term “insurrection,” meaning the act of rising up against established authority, could also be justified.
NOT A COUP: Some people and broadcasters are calling the protesters’ action a “coup” or a “coup attempt,” meaning a sudden, organized seizure of political power or an attempt by a faction or group to seize political power suddenly outside of the law. We may of course quote others alleging a coup or attempted coup, but so far AP has not seen conclusive evidence that the protesters’ specific aim was to take over the government, so at this stage we are avoiding the term in AP copy unless attributed.
As always, journalists should look at the events with an open and dispassionate mind and decide what language best applies. When in doubt, consult managers and senior news leadership.
These terrorist forcefully entered the Capital at the beckoning and instruction of a want to be dictator with the intention to execute the Vice President, stop congress from doing their duty to certify the duly elected President while taking the lives of individuals along the way. If that doesn’t fall under the definition of a coup, I’m unsure what would. This article is no more then an attempt to make these terrorist seem far more civil then they deserve.
They was told to go and stop the count by the Dear Leader just think about that
Now some will go to jail over following a con man
Another liberal drama comment. Execute Mike Pence? Come on, son!
What about all those months, in many different cities, when democrats supported the Burn-Loot-Murder rioters? What were your thoughts on that?
So the billion dollar damage BLM movement was ok? Burning buildings, churches,
taking control of government buildings and city blocks in Seattle burning down police cars and looting ,destroying businesses in NYC. Attempting to destroy our federal monuments. So what was the punishment of this thug uprising. They name a plaza in DC in honor of this destruction. Go figure. Plus your Vice President elect started a movement to bail out these thugs and gang members. Our country will be pure S— in the future.
Exactly. Liberals/Democrats are pathetic hypocrites.
OH they forgot that conservative!
Countries around the globe are calling this for what it is, a failed coup.
Maybe call it Insurrection If you want to ignore the obvious indicators that executive branch controlled entities made a string of critical errors that led to the breach of the capital.
It’s fairly obvious that these breakdowns were by design and decisioned by the president with the goal of scaring or harming the senate to prevent the certification of election results. Hence, the use of failed coup.
If this occurred in any other country you’d all be calling it a failed coup.