Looking Back On January 6 Insurrection Four Years Later

Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, January 6, 2025…

• Monday marks four years since a mob of supporters of then President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. It was an attempt to keep Trump in office, after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden. 140 law enforcement officers were injured and five people died during or soon after the riot. Since the insurrection, more than 1,000 people have been sentenced for crimes they committed that day. That includes many Californians. 
• The Santa Cruz Wharf reopened on Saturday, less than two weeks after 150 feet of it collapsed into the ocean during a storm. That area had already been closed to the public for nearly a year because of previous storms. Still, about 20 businesses had to close as a result.

Californians And Their Role In The January 6 Insurrection

It’s been four years since the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. And for many of the people who stormed the building in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s win as president, Monday is a day of vindication. 

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to pardon people charged with crimes for their roles in the January 6 attack. It’s unclear what the scope of those pardons will be. But that could affect the criminal cases of those who have been charged, or who are already facing jail time, including many Californians. “If people at various stages in the process receive a pardon, well, then the conviction is wiped off the record. The case is completely over,” said NPR Investigative Correspondent Tom Dreisbach. “And if someone has been convicted of a felony, then they would most importantly, not only get out of prison if they’re still there, if they’re already out of prison, probation would end or supervised release would end. And they would also get the right to own guns. Again, for people who have not yet pleaded, are still working their way through the system, the case would simply be over.” 

One case out of California involved Alan Hostetter. He was a military veteran who would eventually become police chief in the Southern California community of La Habra. He retired due to medical issues. And then during the COVID-19 pandemic, he became somewhat radicalized against the government, including becoming a major anti-COVID lockdown protester. He eventually shifted into a pro-Trump, “Stop the Steal” protester after the 2020 election.   He brought weapons from California to the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for his actions that day. Dozens of other Californians are either facing charges, or have already received sentences.

Santa Cruz Wharf Reopens As Residents, Businesses Celebrate

Santa Cruz residents and tourists celebrated the reopening of the iconic wharf Saturday morning after a 150-foot portion collapsed into the water nearly two weeks ago amid a surge of strong waves.

At a city event to celebrate the reopening, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley reassured a crowd of about 200 that the wharf is safe. “We have had folks who are professionals in this field take a look at the entire wharf from beginning to end, from wall to wall, from side to side, and what we know is this wharf is sound and safe for you to be here,” Keeley said. “To have this back is like having a family member come home.”

The part of the wharf that collapsed was under construction, making it vulnerable to the nearly 20-foot waves that battered it on Dec. 23, before it collapsed amid the high surf and heavy rain. Two people had to be rescued while a third person swam to safety, according to the Santa Cruz Fire Department.