On Wednesday, Jan. 6th, a mob of enraged Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol building, seeking to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election results in favor of Joe Biden. The takeover, which took law enforcement nearly four hours to quell, resulted in violent chaos unprecedented in modern times, as well as five deaths and a country shaken by an affront to the democratic process. Footage of the scene went viral, showing violent protesters wreaking havoc, smashing windows, and destroying government property.
The Architect of the Capitol, the office that preserves and maintains the building’s art and architecture, has released an initial inventory of damage sustained during the riot. The report notes that interior damage was mostly limited to broken glass, busted doors, and graffiti. Statues and murals both displayed residue of pepper sprays, tear gas, and fire extinguishers, and will require meticulous cleaning and conservation. Outside, two 19th-century bronze street lights by Frederick Law Olmsted were broken. No major artworks were damaged, though a bust of former president Zachary Taylor was flecked with what appeared to be blood.
