> How were they planning on taking hostages without guns?
Don't be obtuse. Had members of Congress not evacuated their chambers just the fact a mob was outside the doors would be holding them hostage. Several rioters had flexi-cuffs and other bindings. It's not terribly difficult to hold someone hostage. It's downright easy for a large group of people to imprison a smaller group, especially one composed of unarmed geriatrics.
> Were they going to beat people with flagpoles?
You've got from obtuse to insipid. The answer is yes. They literally beat people with flag poles. Several were armed with guns. Many were armed with other blunt weapons, stolen police weapons, and chemical sprays.
> Don't be obtuse. Had members of Congress not evacuated their chambers just the fact a mob was outside the doors would be holding them hostage. Several rioters had flexi-cuffs and other bindings. It's not terribly difficult to hold someone hostage. It's downright easy for a large group of people to imprison a smaller group, especially one composed of unarmed geriatrics.
Yes it is quite difficult for a group of unarmed and unorganized rioters to subdue a highly trained and well armed security force, much less perform a coup.
What would have been a worse case scenario here? They burst into the capital chamber, subdue dozens of armed guards in unarmed combat, and then seize control of the federal government by threatening to beat members of congress with flagpoles?
There is no evidence of this being anything other than a riot. And for the year 2020, it was a relatively tame one.
Don't be obtuse. Had members of Congress not evacuated their chambers just the fact a mob was outside the doors would be holding them hostage. Several rioters had flexi-cuffs and other bindings. It's not terribly difficult to hold someone hostage. It's downright easy for a large group of people to imprison a smaller group, especially one composed of unarmed geriatrics.
> Were they going to beat people with flagpoles?
You've got from obtuse to insipid. The answer is yes. They literally beat people with flag poles. Several were armed with guns. Many were armed with other blunt weapons, stolen police weapons, and chemical sprays.