Global Breaking News - Sunday, May 5, 2024

At first, viewed from a distance, it was a rally or protest. Then it became an assault, a riot, an insurrection, domestic terrorism or even a coup attempt. The language used by the American media to describe last week’s Capitol siege proves one thing whatever your perspective: Words matter. The coverage has sent Americans scurrying to the dictionary and news organizations carefully considering terminology. The use of “riot” as a descriptor is almost universally accepted, even though the word has become fraught with racial connotations and despite the relatively gradual way the story unfolded. “Some stories evolve and reveal themselves over the course of hours and days and this was one of those stories,” said Al Ortiz, vice president of standards and practices at CBS News. The first images most people saw on Jan. 6 were from above, with attendees at a rally where President Donald Trump spoke who eventually moved, like sea water in a tsunami, toward and around the U.S. Capitol. So, initially, they were called protesters. But it became clear, as many breached the Capitol and lawmakers fled for safety, that more was happening. The Associated Press told staff members that protest was too mild a word. Phrases like “mob,” “riot” and “insurrection” were appropriate, noted John Daniszewski, vice president and editor at large for standards.