On the eve of the first anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol building, Attorney General Merrick Garland will provide an update on the government's effort to prosecute those who stormed the building as lawmakers certified the results of the presidential election.
At a 2:30 p.m. ET address in Washington on Wednesday, Garland will provide an update on the hundreds of open cases regarding those who breached law enforcement lines and made their way into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Garland will also "reaffirm the department's unwavering commitment to defend Americans and American democracy from violence and threats of violence."
The Jan. 6 riots took place as lawmakers were certifying the electoral college results from the 2020 presidential election. Trump and other Republican lawmakers called for the delay of certification on the unproven basis of widespread voter fraud.
When then-Vice President Mike Pence upheld his Constitutional duties by presiding over the certification process, Trump supporters — milling about on the mall after a speech by the president — stormed into the Capitol. Some chanted threats toward Pence and top Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Five people died at the Capitol that day.
In the past year, federal officials have made more than 700 arrests in connection with the Jan. 6 riots. The FBI, one of the agencies leading investigations, has relied on tips, social media posts, facial recognition software and cell phone records when prosecuting suspects.
Estimates indicate that about 2,000 people entered the Capitol that day, meaning more arrests could be coming later this year.
