Reuters Congressional reporter Patricia Zengerle complained on Wednesday that seeing a handful of people walking on the National Mall with American flags had given her “a wave of #Jan6 anxiety.”
“Yikes. Just saw this gang walking around the Capitol and had a wave of #Jan6 anxiety,” Zengerle tweeted, sharing a photo of eight people on the mall. Several carried American flags and two carried a banner that read, “1776 restoration movement.com.”
Critics quickly responded to Zengerle’s complaint, mocking her for comparing a handful of protesters on the mall with the January 6th riot on Capitol Hill.
“Because what could be more frightening than a handful of people waving American flags. The tweet i[s] from a Reuters reporter,” Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume mused.
“@Reuters reporter has hyperbolic reaction to grandma and grandpa carrying American flags. RELATED: Trust in the press is at an all-time low,” Monica Crowley added.
Shem Horne was apparently outraged, tweeting, “I can’t believe the squad got fake arrested yesterday but these 8 people with American Flags are allowed to roam free!”
“Journos literally talk about seeing a crowd of old people waving American flags as if they’re currently on the ground in Fallujah,” Greg Price said.
Tristan Justice admitted he thought it was parody at first: “I legit thought at first this was a conservative account making fun of the hyperventilating over Jan. 6.”
Newsmax host Benny Johnson took issue with Zengerle’s use of the word “gang.”
“OMG. She called it a gang,” Jack Posobiec agreed.
This is an excerpt from The Daily Wire.