On Feb. 1, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a U.S representative for the state of New York, more commonly known as AOC, took to Instagram live to recount in detail the events that took place surrounding the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. AOC is a member of the Democratic party and was first sworn into congress in 2019. She has remained a controversial figure to some Americans but remained a powerful figure of what young women can accomplish in government for others. Nearly a month after the attack on the capitol AOC used Instagram live to share her personal story of the day of the attack, the days leading up to it, and the disappointment she has felt in the proceedings that followed the attack particularly members of the Republican party.

AOC made it clear she was telling her own story, no one else’s. She shared how many were impacted, that Americans may have failed to consider state employees like janitors, interns, and other staffers were terrified and paralyzed by the violence they witnessed that day. AOC went on to disclose that she is a survivor of sexual assault and found the events that day to be very triggering for her and lead her to deeper insight into the attack on the capitol. When describing what types of conversations around the attacks have transpired since that day, AOC said, “these folks who tell us to move on, that it’s not a big deal, that we should forget what’s happened or even tell us to apologize. These are the same tactics of abusers”. She explains how the efforts to silence her force and others on their stories of what happened on Jan. 6 is mirrored by “the countless people who tell women and non-binary people that they’re constantly trying to get attention just for existing and for saying that they exist”.

In the live video, AOC detailed the days preceding the attack.  Discussing that the added security that was put in place by capitol police was a single waist height metal railing blocking the protesters from access to the buildings and congressional staff. Compared to over the summer when Black Lives Matter protesters were at the capitol building and there were upwards of eight of these barriers in place, panic buttons were left intact in the offices inside the capitol. ACO shared how these panic buttons had been removed from the building in the days prior to the attack. She was told by capital police a night before the attack that security measures were in place, and that they were to arrive at 9 a.m.. No other information was provided to those employed within the Capitol building due to potential leaks of the ‘planned’ safety measures. Wednesday the attacks insured as witnessed by the American people yet there was at least a week of knowledge that violence was planned for that Wednesday. 

AOC expressed her growing sadness and anger at Republican politicians for their lack of acknowledgment and anger expressed towards the violence. She goes on to say how this is not about a difference of political opinion, and this is not about revenge but creating safety. “We are not safe with people who hold positions of power who are willing to endanger the lives of others if they think it will score them a political point”. She goes on to mention Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Josh Hawley by name when describing her fears on future acts of violence. AOC stresses that downplaying such violence will only lead to a future in which attacks against government workers and buildings are imminent. 

Events like what took place at the capitol building on Jan. 6 should serve as a warning sign to Americans for how fragile our peace is. It is crucial to see this violence for what it is and what it represents, an unstable democracy. The response that’s been witnessed since the attacks has proven just as alarming. It is important to raise up voices like AOC’s for their candor on the threat to democracy and safety at hand.