Four Corners: Feb 1
Sarah Ferguson delivers an account of the Washington DC insurrection as it unfolded, told by those who were there.
- Published by David Knox
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Sarah Ferguson returns to Four Corners on Monday with her US report, “Downfall: The last days of President Trump.”
Monday is the season return as the program celebrates its 60th year.
#4Corners returns with a riveting piece of reportage from @fergusonnews. ‘Downfall: The Last Days of President Trump’, Monday @4corners pic.twitter.com/P0Vuq9arCU
— Sally Neighbour (@neighbour_s) January 27, 2021
“We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen.” Donald Trump
On January 6 supporters of Donald Trump converged on the American capital.
The President was still refusing to concede defeat and for his supporters it was a now or never moment to act. As lawmakers gathered to certify the election results, Trump’s inflammatory “stop the steal” rhetoric created a fevered atmosphere.
“We’ve always had right wing wacko fringe groups in this country, but they have been brought out, if you will, and encouraged, by our erstwhile President. And this all came to a head on January 6th.” Former intelligence director
That day, incited by the outgoing President, the most sacred symbol of American democracy was stormed by an angry mob unleashing violence and destruction.
“It was unreal, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I kept asking myself, ‘Is this what I’m seeing, really, what’s going on here?” Frontline photographer
On Monday, Four Corners delivers a gripping account of the insurrection as it unfolded, told by those who were there.
“I thought there was actually somebody dead next to me. So I called for a medic and I waited for the people to resuscitate him, and then I made my way up to the balcony level and that’s when I saw what was going on inside. But I could hear the screaming, the fighting, I saw pepper spray everywhere and I saw shields coming out.” Photographer
Eyewitnesses in vantage points around the Capitol building describe how the riot gathered pace and how close the mob came to reaching the politicians trapped inside.
“It seemed to me that the crowd recognised that particular groups of people who all had similar uniforms , sort of this combat gear, Kevlar helmets, were a special group of people coming to do a special kind of thing.” Photographer
In her return to Four Corners, reporter Sarah Ferguson confronts some of those who answered the President’s call to overturn the election result.
“Did you send members of the Proud Boys into the Capitol to lynch members of the government?” Sarah Ferguson
Some of those who loyally served Donald Trump at the very highest level watched on in disbelief.“None of us signed up for insurrection. We signed up for lower taxes and deregulation, and fewer involvements overseas…I think it’s going to color his legacy forever. Which is one of the things that disappoints so many of us that worked so hard with him and for him.” Former senior member of the Trump administration.
In the aftermath, many have asked ‘how could this have happened?’
It came as no surprise to some of those who watched the Trump presidency closely.
“We’ve had four years of lies and fabrications and conspiracy theories. I think we should have known that something like this was going to happen.” Former intelligence director
As President Joe Biden takes charge, the Republican party is grappling with its political future. Defeated, disgraced, and now twice-impeached, Donald Trump may be out of office, but the anger he unleashed continues to threaten and America is watching for his next move.
Monday 1st February at 8.30pm on ABC.
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