Did they really though? IIRC a couple people died after the protest from untreated health issues (stroke, heart attack) and then one woman was shot by capitol police for being an idiot. Of course you could count on the media to make wild claims about bodies piling up and fires in the Capitol, which they were strangely silent about the previous summer when there were actual fires in the capital.

Other than that, very little property was damaged and the rioters didn’t get anywhere close to our politicians (although AOC certainly cried crocodile tears about it later, even though being multiple blocks away!)

In a quick google search you can see the extent of the “damages”: seemingly fearless reporters flooding into the Capitol en-made to take photos around the “dangerous insurrectionists” who took the time and liberty to pose for them. The hallways were cleared to let the rioters in with zero resistance. No improvised bombs, no arson like the Floyd riots. Maybe a couple busted chairs. The rioters were basically given a free tour and then escorted out after the fact.

The riot was blown egregiously out of proportion, laughably referred to as an “insurrection” (ever seen an unarmed insurrection before? Me neither), and arguably exacerbated by capitol police in order to shift focus from the widespread rioting which had resulted in tens of deaths and billions of dollars in property damage.

It was also used to excuse a ridiculous Macarthy-esque witch hunt inside congress for “insurrectionist politicians” who supposedly incited the riot despite zero evidence pointing to that fact. Fortunately, the investigation was shot down.