Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized for “exaggerating” the threat of Capitol rioters after she opens up about surviving the trauma

The Capitol riots which took place on 6 January, 2021 showed the world the flaws in the system of one of the greatest countries, the U.S.A.

Many judged the rioters as they saw them climbing walls, breaking doors, and destroying the government’s property. But it was the lawmakers who were inside the building at the time that feared for their lives the most. Among them was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who spoke openly of the harrowing experience. Being a survivor of sexual assault, going through the ordeal caused by the rioters triggered fear at her.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-N.Y) (Source: Getty Images | Photo by Joe Raedle)

Ocasio-Cortez heard someone yelling “Where is she?” while she was hiding inside the bathroom of her inner office. In an Instagram Live, she said how she feared she would be taken as a hostage, knowing many of the rioters were carrying zip-tie handcuffs, or even die. According to USA Today, Ocasio-Cortez said: “[It] almost felt like a zombie movie or something.”

“I thought I was going to die. This is the moment where I thought, ‘Everything is over,'” she said of the moment when a man, who happened to be a Capitol Police Officer, was looking for her “with a tremendous amount of anger and hostility.”

Protesters seen holding ziptie handcuffs after they managed to break into the senate chamber on January 6, 2021. (Photos by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Ocasio-Cortez gathered the courage to speak up and people listened, but not everyone understood. Instead of words of compassion, many criticized her speech claiming she was looking for attention and saying she was exaggerating. One of those people was Rep. Nancy Mace who tweeted: “My office is 2 doors down. Insurrectionists never stormed our hallway.”

Conservative journalist Jack Posobiec shared a map of the Capitol complex on Twitter trying to represent Ocasio-Cortez as a liar.

“These claims from Ocasio-Cortez critics leave out key context. First, the Cannon building is connected to the Capitol via an underground walkway that is frequently used by legislators, aides, journalists and others; the Cannon building is considered part of the Capitol complex. Second, Ocasio-Cortez did not mislead about where she was during the insurrection; she explicitly explained on Instagram Live that her office is in a building near the Capitol,” read CNN Edition.

Capitol Police were instructed to evacuate people from the Cannon building.

Ocasio-Cortez further said that the attacks against her were just an attempt by the Republicans “to avoid accountability for inciting a deadly riot that killed five people, including a police officer, and attempted to overthrow a democratic election.”

Monica Pop
Monica Pop
Monica Pop is a senior writer for Bored Daddy magazine covering the latest trending and popular articles across the United States and around the world.

More from author

Related posts

Latest posts

Over 60 killed after fire rips through newly opened mall in Iraq following AC explosion

A devastating fire tore through a newly opened mall, the Corniche Hypermarket Mall, in Kut, eastern Iraq, claiming the lives of at least 61...

Entitled passenger snatched my in-flight meal — but karma served the real dish

What started as a routine cross-country flight quickly turned frustrating for a woman who happened to be seated next to an entitled passenger. The man...

Kate Middleton makes rare comment about Prince Louis

Kate Middleton received a standing ovation when she appeared at the Wimbledon tennis finals last weekend. Her presence at this event has always been embraced...

Our gender reveal cake was gray — then our daughter shared a surprising truth

When my husband and I married, we knew we wanted children. We already had a girl, Maddison, from his first marriage that I got...

Truth behind viral statement after married CEO caught with employee on Coldplay kiss cam

During Coldplay's recent Boston concert, frontman Chris Martin sparkled a viral moment when the 'kiss cam' revealed what many believe is an ongoing affair....

The dog that woke his master

The prognosis for Officer Rami, who was severely injured during a mission, was bleak. After weeks in the hospital, doctors decided to take him...