US to establish 9/11-style commission to investigate Capitol riot

Nancy Pelosi said the investigation was needed to uphold US security following the ‘domestic terror attack’

An explosion caused by a police munition is seen while supporters of former president Donald Trump gather in front of the US Capitol Building in Washington, US, January 6, 2021. Reuters

A supporter of US President Donald J. Trump sits on the desk of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after supporters of US President Donald J. Trump breached the US Capitol security in Washington. EPA

Police detain a person as supporters of US President Donald Trump protest outside the US Capitol. AFP

Protesters enter the US Capitol Building. AFP

A protester holds a Trump flag inside the US Capitol Building near the Senate Chamber. AFP

US Capitol police officers point their guns at a door that was vandalized in the House Chamber during a joint session of Congress. AFP

Members of congress run for cover as protesters try to enter the House Chamber during a joint session of Congress. AFP

Congress staffers barricade themselves after Trump supporters stormed inside the US Capitol. AFP

Congress staffers barricade themselves after Trump supporters stormed inside the US Capitol. AFP

Congress staffers hold up their hands while Capitol Police Swat teams check everyone in the room as they secure the floor of Trump supporters. AFP

US Capitol Police stand detain protesters outside of the House Chamber during a joint session of Congress. AFP

A supporter of US President Donald Trump sits at a desk after invading the Capitol Building. AFP

A protester sits in the Senate Chamber. AFP

Pro-Trump protesters tear down a barricade as they clash with Capitol police during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results by the US Congress. Reuters

Police hold back supporters of US President Donald Trump as they gather outside the US Capitol's Rotunda. AFP

Supporters of US President Donald Trump enter the US Capitol's Rotunda. AFP

A protester is seen hanging from the balcony in the Senate Chamber. AFP

Riot police prepare to move demonstrators away from the US Capitol. AFP

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol. AFP

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces, as they storm the US Capitol. AFP

A supporter of US President Donald Trump wears a gas mask as he protests after storming the US Capitol. AFP

Pro-Trump supporters storm the US Capitol following a rally. AFP

Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol. AFP

US President Donald Trump is seen on TV from a video message released on Twitter addressing rioters at the US Capitol, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC. AFP

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC. AFP

Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest in the US Capitol Rotunda. AFP

Paramedics perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a patient. AFP

A wounded protester is carried on barricade as demonstrators breach the US Capital building grounds. Bloomberg

US Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi preside over a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol earlier in the day on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. EPA

Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., cleans up debris and personal belongings strewn across the floor of the Rotunda in the early morning hours of the morning, after protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington. AP

An independent commission will be created to investigate the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to politicians.

The outside investigation will be modelled on the inquiry that examined the 9/11 attacks of September 11, 2001.

Ms Pelosi said the investigation was needed to uphold US security after what she called the “domestic terror attack”.

The announcement comes on the heels of Republican senators acquitting President Donald Trump for his role in inciting the insurrection.

Only seven Republican senators voted to convict Mr Trump, with 43 others acquitting the former president, highlighting how powerful a grip he still has on the party.

Ms Pelosi condemned the “cowardly group of Republicans” for their actions.

Five people, including a Capitol police officer, died in or soon after the insurrection attempt by supporters of Mr Trump. Two other police officers involved in defending the building against the Trump-supporting mob later took their own lives.

Ms Pelosi called on Congress to allocate additional funding “to provide for the safety of members and the security of the Capitol”.

Her request to increase the Capitol’s security budget follows an investigation by retired US army lieutenant General Russel Honore, who was asked to assess security needs in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

“It is clear from his findings and from the impeachment trial that we must get to the truth of how this happened,” Ms Pelosi said.

Investigations into the riot were planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month.

An independent commission along the lines of the one that investigated the September 11 attacks would probably require legislation to create. That would elevate the investigation a step higher, offering a definitive government-backed account of events.

But such a panel would pose risks of sharpening partisan divisions or overshadowing President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.

More than 200 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the insurrection attempt.

Many members of the pro-Trump mob used the app Parler to communicate online before the attack.

The app, which calls itself “the free speech social network”, was relaunched on Monday after it was forced offline over incitements to violence on the platform.

Parler, which says it has 20 million users, is popular among conservatives due to its lax regulation of hate speech and misinformation.

The app came under scrutiny following the Capitol attack, prompting Apple and Google to remove it from their download platforms. Amazon’s web-hosting service also cut its ties with the app.

Parler said it was back for users who had already installed it. New users won’t be able to gain access to it until next week.