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Pro-Trump ‘Rioters’ Celebrate With Bob Marley’s Music Angering Some Jamaicans

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Pro-Trump rioters were spotted in the US Capitol on Wednesday celebrating while playing Bob Marley music.

As many people around the world watched in horror as several thousand people stormed the US Capitol in Washington DC yesterday, January 6, the rioters decided to end their day of anarchy in a most ironic way. They were captured singing along to Bob Marley’s “Everything Gonna Be Alright” on the Capitol lawn after a tough day of wreaking havoc. The song’s official name is “Three Little Birds.”

The moment was captured by USA Today journalist Christal Hayes, who posted a clip on Twitter, with the caption, “As we hit curfew in DC, this is the scene outside the U.S. Capitol. Trump protesters are singing, “every little thing is gonna be alright” on the West side of the Capitol, within view of where Biden is set to be inaugurated later this month.”

Marley is not around anymore to express his shock at the fact that his music was being used by this particular group, but there’s little doubt that the reggae legend would have been pleased. He would have turned 74 this year on February 6. While his music stood largely for anti-establishment, he was most notably an advocate of peace. They might not have used the music if they were aware of Marley’s views on politics. In one of his many famous quotes about politics, he said, “Everything is political. I will never be a politician or even think political. Me just deal with life and nature. That is the greatest thing to me.” A very sharp contrast to what those pictured presumably believe.

In the 18-second clip, two supporters can be heard expressing their amazement at the feats that they’d accomplish. While others dance and sing, one man is heard saying, “you actually did that,” in amazement. Yesterday will go down in history as one of the worst attacks on democracy in the US according to several news outlets there and as a day of shame according to former US President Barack Obama.

According to photos and video posted on several social media sites, the rioters left a trail of destruction. Some of the damage included a shattered mirror inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, one person carried around a podium out of the Capitol Rotunda, and a lot of windows throughout the Capitol building were smashed. Several offices were also ransacked.

After all this, and following the death of four people, in response to the curfew imposed, the rioters felt somehow that they were connected to the music of Bob Marley. The mob tried to disrupt a joint session of the Congress certification of president-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win. Even though they caused chaos, the vote was continued at a later time, and Biden’s win was eventually certified in the wee hours of this morning, January 7.

Several Twitter users expressed their outrage that the song was used. “Bob Marley? Are you kidding?!? Makes me sick! Bob Marley performed this song 3 days after an assassination attempt in hopes of quelling political tension between rival factions on Jamaica. Don’t you dare!!!” this fan said, while this one added, “Me don’t dip on the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me dip on God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white, who give me this talent”- Bob Marley,” and another added, “A HUGE disrespect to Bob Marley. He stood for nothing that they do! He does not like these people especially the misuse of his music!”

Here are a few other reactions to the clip.

What do you think about the use of Marley’s music to celebrate this protest?

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