“We thought it was a really good idea to go down there and let our voices be heard,” Anthony said.
It was the first political event he said he’s ever been a part of and now one that will live in American history.
Anthony, a Killingly native who asked that we not use his last name, said he and his wife joined in with others heading to Washington, D.C. to show their support for the president.
While he said they could hardly hear Trump’s speech Wednesday morning just outside the White House grounds, Anthony remembers a distinct moment.
“What I did catch was when Trump said, let your voices be heard,” Anthony said.
Moments later, Anthony said, the crowd then made its way to the United States Capitol.
“I want to say there were really two or three people that were really trying to agitate the crowd,” Anthony said.
He said that by the time the couple made it to the area, the Capitol had already been breached.
“We see people just walking in and we see just a ton of cops from behind, from all over the place, were rushing to the scene,” Anthony said.
Anthony said he and his wife never trespassed the Capitol grounds. He said the majority of people stayed behind the barricades but what he saw beyond that he did not expect.
“I was completely upset, disappointed and appalled by the actions that I saw taking place by those few individuals,” Anthony said.
He said at that point the couple decided it was time to go home.
“It was a little scary. You got nervous to try to figure out your route to get back to the car,” Anthony said.
While Anthony said he doesn’t regret attending the event, he believes those responsible for trespassing should be held accountable.
"It was definitely, unfortunately, a dark day for not just Republicans but Americans alike,” Anthony said.
