Rioters who entered Capitol building may not be charged if they didn’t engage in violence, report says

Federal officials do not want to crush court system with hundreds of cases

Rioters who stormed the Capitol Building may not face criminal charges if they did not act violently, a report says.

Federal law enforcement officials are reportedly debating not pressing charges against some of the pro-Trump mob to prevent hundreds of cases swamping the court system.

No final decision has made on the non-charging of individuals who took part in the 6 January pro-Trump violence, according to the Washington Post.

A string of participants around the US have been arrested and charged in the wake of the riot, that aimed to prevent lawmakers from certifying the election win of Joe Biden.

Five people were killed, including a police officer, when supporters of Mr Trump’s attacked the Capitol after attending his “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington DC.

The former president was impeached by the House for inciting the violence and now faces a trial in the Senate, which will start on 8 February.

Federal officials believe that around 800 rioters entered the Capitol as lawmakers and vice president Mike Pence were rushed to safety.

More than 135 people have now been charged with crimes related to the incident, with more cases expected to be filed.

Those officials say that the behaviour of the crowd was so mixed that anyone known only to have committed unlawful entry, and not violence, vandalism or threatening actions, could not face charges, reports the Post.

But some federal agents say that anyone involved should be fully prosecuted to send a message and discourage any similar future violence.