We all watched the insurrection at the Capitol unfold last Wednesday. But the sheer mass of information combined with the need to get it out fast made it pretty difficult to figure out what happened and when.
With a minute to catch their breath, several news organizations made visual explainers that analyzed the images, videos, and actions from the day. It was a strong way to apply infographics to break down a series of events that felt like pure chaos.
From visual timelines, to maps and analysis of photographs on site, here are some of the very best visualizations to make sense of the attempted coup.
Icons on viral photos
This visual guide from the BBC’s visual journalism team is the simplest of the group. And for that reason, it’s the easiest to get a bird’s eye view of the day at a glance. The riot’s major events unfold consecutively as the reader scrolls down the page, with time stamps in bold.
Clear timeline of events
Images of Trump supporters swarming the Capitol building doors and breaking through barricades were striking, but because most were close-up, it was hard to tell what the heck was going on. Where did the rioters first breach the building? How did they get there?
Maps with bird’s-eye views of D.C.
The New York Times’ treatment is organized similarly to the Washington Post’s, but has a different visual treatment. The dark background puts increased emphasis on the images themselves. Events are also placed consecutively, with each blurb led by a time stamp and many accompanied by videos.
Detailed maps with notes
BuzzFeed’s play-by-play has the same consecutive format, unfolding the day’s events as you scroll. Their treatment is very focused on images, with photos that take up the full width of the page along with annotated maps and notes explaining key locations. For instance, a white dot at the entrance to the Capitol Hill grounds reads, “at approximately 1:15 p.m., rioters knock over barricades and overwhelm police officers.”
Video breakdowns
It was really difficult to see what exactly happened to police officers who were attacked by the rioters because the scene was so chaotic and so many people were in each photograph. The New York Times breaks down videos from those events into digestible pieces, with additional visual aids like circles that draw attention to the officers in question.
