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This time last year, the unthinkable happened. In the wake of Joe Biden’s election as President of the United States, thousands of Donald Trump’s supporters flocked to Washington D.C. They gathered to support Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election had been “stolen” by emboldened radical-left Democrats. What followed was chaos. As White House staff members were evacuated, rioters assaulted law enforcement and vandalized property. Five people lost their lives during the attack on Capitol. One was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and the final three passed of natural causes. At least 138 police officers were injured. Altogether, 737 people were charged for their role in the riots.
It was an event so shocking and influential that a year later people are still struggling to understand what happened. It’s certainly impossible to have all the answers at this time. But thanks to the hard work of journalists, we have some of them. Below are some of the most thorough and well-researched documentaries about the January 6, 2021 attack as we look back on this historic day.
'Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the Capitol'
From the New York Times, this six-month investigation maps out the thousands of videos and police radio communications taken from that day. At only 40 minutes, this documentary offers a comprehensive guide to the insurrection while still keeping things brief.
Watch Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the Capitol on YouTube
'24 Hours: Assault on the Capitol'
This deep dive into the Capitol attack is perhaps your best bet if you’re still struggling to understand how the insurrection logistically happened last January. By offering a detailed timeline of the day in question, it gives context to some of the most prominent images from the day. Though it was produced by ABC News, 24 Hours: Assault on the Capitol is exclusively available on Hulu.
'Four Hours at the Capitol'
Produced by Dan Reed and directed by Jamie Roberts, Four Hours at the Capitol is tightly focused on the events of the day. Unlike 24 Hours: Assault on the Capitol, it gives viewers a glimpse into the emotions and atmosphere of the day rather than offering an hour by hour account. In addition to never-before-seen footage, the documentary has first-hand interviews from staffers, police officers, protesters, and rioters as it details how quickly the violence of the day escalated. The documentary currently has an 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
'American Insurrection'
Out of all the documentaries, this PBS Frontline special feels like another chapter of a long story rather than a standalone special. Frontline, ProPublica, and Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program teamed up to examine how far-right extremist groups have evolved to attacking the Capitol in the wake of the 2017 Charlottesville rally, a tragic event that ended with three deaths. This year, PBS premiered an updated version of this documentary to include the latest developments that happened in the year after the attack, making it the most up-to-date documentary on this list.
