Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez describes living through the Jan. 6 Capitol assault, fearing she would die

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/MSNBC)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) described her experience hiding from the violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, recounting in an emotional Instagram Live stream Monday night how she believed she was going to die and comparing the response from some congressional Republicans to sexual abuse.

Ocasio-Cortez said she went to shelter in her office, and when a man banged on her office door, yelling "Where is she?" she hid in the bathroom. "I just thought to myself that they got inside," she said. "I thought I was going to die," and "I really just felt like, if this is the plan for me, then people will be able to take it from here."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.