Superintendent Kelly and Arrigo Address Recent Capitol Hill Assault

The January 6 assault on Capitol Hill where Trump supporters broke into the Halls of Congress and tried to stop the Senate from certifying the Electoral College votes and officially name Joe Biden as the next President of the United States shocked the nation.

The violence of the day left five people dead, several law enforcement officers injured and put an eternal blemish on the country’s peaceful transfer of power.

In Revere, the news footage from Washington, D.C., that day shook city leaders to their core.

At a School Committee meeting following the violence of January 6, Revere School Superintendent Dr. Dianne Kelly and Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo, who serves as president of the committee in his capacity as mayor, addressed the incident and told the committee resources were being made available for students and families.

“I want to begin tonight by recognizing what happened in our Nation’s Capital,” said Kelly. “It’s both shocking and heartbreaking and nothing I ever thought that I would see in the United States of America. It is very troubling without a doubt.”

Kelly said Revere Public School’s administrative team immediately began working to put resources together for teachers and students to help both kids and adults process these riots and identify the underpinnings of this violence.

“We encourage students and help them to share their feelings and know that ultimately we will be safe through this period of turmoil,” said Kelly.

Mayor Brian Arrigo, who once lived in Washington, D.C., said the violence in the Capitol really hit home.

“Obviously the events are heartbreaking,” said Arrigo. “As a former D.C. resident. I have a special place in my heart for that city and to see what’s unfolded really hit home. What we’re seeing is really sad but I think the saddest part of the whole situation is how predictable it is and has been for the last several weeks. What we were seeing was an attack and an assault on our democracy and it has to be acknowledged and condemned.”

To Revere’s Public School students and families, Arrigo said the city is preparing to have support services available.

“I thank Dr. Kelly for being so proactive in being able to make sure that our students are able to process these challenging things that we’re seeing unfold,” said Arrigo. “I appreciate the fact that we are able to have those kinds of supports available and that we’re focused on making sure that our families and our children in the district can handle the trauma that they’re seeing unfold on TV. With that, as Dr. Kelly said, I want to impress upon the fact that we are here to create safe spaces for our residents and for our families and we will continue to do that.”

Arrigo said what transpired on January 6, was certainly some of the worst acts he’s seen but was optimistic things will get better soon. .

“I know that better days are ahead,” said Arrigo. “But it’s really a heartbreaking scene to watch.”