Most Americans fear repeat of Jan 6 Capitol attack in the coming years

More than 700 people charged in connection with 2021 Washington DC attack

Most Americans fear a repeat of the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol in the next few years, according to a new poll.

Around 57 per cent of Americans, including half of Republicans and seven out of 10 Democrats, believe that there will be a repeat of the pro-Trump insurrection, says the poll by Axios-Momentive.

And 63 per cent of respondents said that the attack, which took place exactly one year ago this week, changed the way that Americans think about democratic government in the US.

Half of those said that the change is permanent with the others saying they believe it is only temporary.

One year ago the mob forced its way past police barricades and stormed the Capitol Building in an attempt to prevent Congress from ratifying Joe Biden’s election defeat of Donald Trump.

Four people at the rally died on 6 January, with three others dying from “medical emergencies” at the same time.

Following the attack, four more police officers who were on duty that day died by suicide.

Prosecutors have charged more than 700 people with alleged crimes, with at least 225 people charged with assaulting or resisting law enforcement officers.

Officials say that around 140 members of law enforcement were assaulted during the riot.

The new poll also shows that fewer than six in 10 Americans say that Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election, despite false electoral fraud claims by Mr Trump being completely debunked.

“It’s dispiriting to see that this shocking thing we all witnessed last year hasn’t changed people’s perceptions,” said Laura Wronski, senior manager for research science at Momentive.

And she added: “The partisan division is still the story.”

In a survey carried out in early January 2021, 58 per cent of Americans said they accepted Mr Biden had legitimately won the White House.

That number in 2022 is down to 55 per cent, the poll states.

Meanwhile, 58 per cent of Americans said they support the work of the House select committee on 6 January, although there is a significant partisan divide, with 88 per cent support among Democrats, 58 per cent among independents and 2 per cent among Republicans.