‘Packing up our things’: January 6 prisoners prepare for Trump pardons

The fourth anniversary of the US Capitol riot was met with hope by those convicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

Washington, DC – A flicker from the prison window was met with cheers from the small crowd waiting outside.

The signal has become a near-nightly tradition at the DC Central Detention Facility. When the sunlight starts to fade, detainees inside try to shudder the lights as a sign to their supporters.

But that gesture prompted particular ebullience among the about two dozen people gathered on the pavement on Sunday, despite the freezing temperature.

It was the night before the fourth anniversary of January 6, 2021, when thousands stormed the United States Capitol in an extraordinary attempt to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss.

For the last nearly 900 days, a small group has gathered to show their support for those convicted in the riot, some of whom are incarcerated inside the DC detention centre.