Press Release Jan 7, 2021

Parks Group Condemns Violent Assault on US Capitol

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The rioters did not win. President Trump did not win. In fact, our commitment to our democracy is even more resolute.

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The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.   camera icon Photo © Olga Bogatyrenko/Dreamstime.

Washington, DC – Yesterday, thousands of violent rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, breaching police forces and attempting to halt our nation’s peaceful transition of power. This unprecedented political insurrection came after President Trump urged protesters to march there from his rally on the National Mall. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) condemns the violent assault on our nation’s Capital and calls for a peaceful transfer of power on January 20th.

Statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association:

“What the nation witnessed yesterday was devastating. But sadly, it’s not surprising. We have watched in horror as the President spent much of his administration stoking fires of hate, until it reached its crescendo yesterday. And people paid with their lives.

"America’s history is filled with protests and demonstrations as people fought for their rights. The right to vote. The right for fair pay. The right for equality.

"But that’s not what the riots at the Capitol were about. No one was fighting for a more fair and just nation. No one was seeking equality. Instead, they were seeking an insurrection. They chose loyalty to an unhinged leader over loyalty to our nation and the democratic ideals upon which it was founded. And we will suffer the consequences of this hatred the president has not only sowed but incited for years to come. But yesterday the rioters did not win. President Trump did not win. In fact, our commitment to our democracy is even more resolute.

"We must come together and call for a peaceful transfer of power on January 20th, and show the world that the American ideals are alive and well.”

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About The National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its nearly 1.4 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.

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