/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/HIZ46OQWYSCU6HZD2QUSFYZKEA.jpg "Three years later, the United States is still hostage to the assault on the Capitol | International")
Christopher Worrell, 52, a member of the far-right group the Proud Boys, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attacking police officers with pepper spray while a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Worrell was found to have been wearing a combat vest and insulted the agents, calling them “communists” and “scum.” This is the latest conviction from the assault that shook the foundations of democracy in the United States.
Three years later, the assault on the Capitol continues to largely mark the political and judicial agenda of the United States. The attack took place in an effort to prevent the proclamation of Joe Biden’s electoral victory in the 2020 presidential elections.
Former President Donald Trump has defended the assailants, downplayed the attack, and continued to propagate theories of conspiracy related to the events of January 6. According to a survey published in The Washington Post, 25% of Americans agree with the idea that it is “probably” or “definitely” true that the FBI instigated the assault on the Capitol.
President Biden has been vocal about the threat to democracy that occurred with the assault on the Capitol, making it a key message for his re-election.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, with a conservative supermajority, will have to determine the implications of these events. The court will rule on issues related to presidential immunity, the application of the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment, and the validity of applying the crime of obstruction of an official proceeding to the January 6 riot.
The courts have been busy prosecuting those involved in the attack on the Capitol. According to the latest report from the Department of Justice, 1,237 defendants have been prosecuted throughout the country and 723 have been convicted, with 454 receiving prison sentences.
The harshest sentences have been given to members of far-right militias such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. The former President, Trump, has said he would pardon the assailants if he returns to the White House.
The implications of the assault on the Capitol continue to resonate in the political and legal spheres in the United States and will likely shape the course of future elections.