The Daily

How They Stormed Congress

Jan 8, 2021

Sheera Frenkel, a cybersecurity reporter at The New York Times, provides keen insights into how online radicalization fueled the Capitol storming. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, the Homeland security correspondent, discusses the glaring security failures that allowed chaos to unfold. They delve into the preparations of the pro-Trump mob, revealing their strategic use of social media to coordinate actions. The conversation exposes the dangerous consequences of misinformation and highlights the political and security ramifications of January 6.

31:02

Creator website

Episode guests

Zolan Kanno-Youngs

Sheera Frenkel

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Misinformation and the 'Stop the Steal' Movement

4min

March to Insurrection

6min

Countdown to Chaos: January 6th Insights

6min

Chaos at the Capitol: January 6th Unraveled

8min

Aftermath of the Capitol Riot

8min

This episode contains strong language.

The pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol on Wednesday made their plans in plain sight. They organized on social media platforms and spoke openly of their intentions to occupy the Capitol.

But leaders in Washington opted for a modest law enforcement presence. In the aftermath, those security preparations are attracting intense scrutiny.

Today, we explore how the events of Jan. 6 could have happened.

Guest: Sheera Frenkel, who covers cybersecurity for The New York Times; Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a homeland security correspondent for The Times.

For an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. You can read the latest edition here.

Background reading:

Inside Trump supporters’ online echo chambers, the chaos of Jan. 6 could be seen coming.
Failures by the police have spurred resignations and complaints of double standards.
During the storming of the Capitol, social media sites were used by the mob to share information, including directions on which streets to take to avoid the police and which tools to bring to help pry open doors.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily

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