A group of peaceful demonstrators gathered in Peterborough on Tuesday to mark the fifth anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, when a crowd of protesters attempting to stop a joint session of Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election attacked the U.S. Capitol.
The demonstration, organized by Peterborough resident Kath Allen, took place at noon on the steps of the Peterborough Town House.
“It’s very important to keep in focus that what we’re seeing now is the same as we saw five years ago, and it’s not stopping,” Allen said. “We’ve seen what has happened in less than 12 months. What’s going to happen in the next 36 months? This country is being run under no laws right now. How much harder will it be in three years to restore our rights and the rule of law?”
Peterborough resident Richard Buchanan carried a sign stating “Fight Fascists With Extreme Prejudice,” and Kathy Schongar of Peterborough brought an antique scale from her husband’s collection to represent the Scales of Justice.
Buchanan said the U.S. “is in the midst of a slow-moving coup.”
“There is absolutely no question about that,” he said. “The amount of illegality, abetted by our supreme court and our totally useless legislators, are leading us to a state of impending autocracy and fascism. I am completely disheartened by the response of our so-called leadership.”
Kathy Schongar of Peterborough held her antique brass scale during the hour-long demonstration.
“I brought this to represent the fact that the balance of power has been disrupted, it is off balance, and the question is, who is manipulating the weights?” Schongar said.
