MAYOR RAS J. BARAKA’S STATEMENT
ON VIOLENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 

“What we witnessed yesterday was hate and fear in purest form. It was truly a sad day as our fight for democracy, freedom, and Constitution came under siege.

“Our nation fervently watched attacks on our Members of Congress. They were barricaded in the U.S. Capitol and held hostage only for the mere reason that democracy was upheld.

“Make no mistake: President-Elect Biden won the election not by a small margin but by 9 million votes. The people have spoken. He won the Electoral College by a tally of 306 to 232. Those votes have been certified by the states, upheld by all the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, and were confirmed last night by Congress. However, what we have known for some time and what last night has certainly proven is that the Electoral College is our biggest obstacle to a true democracy. There has never been anything right with it. I stand for the abolishment of this outdated and undemocratic practice and further call upon every elected official that believes in the future freedoms of our civilization to continue to condemn yesterday’s atrocities.

“Even if we do not like the outcomes of the election, terroristic attacks of white supremacy on our nation’s shores resulted in the shooting of a woman and anarchy. We must end the hatred dividing our country and arrest the criminals responsible before our democracy is further compromised.”