On anniversary of Capitol riot, Washington – and America – are as divided as ever

Partisanship overshadows sombre commemorations as insurrection becomes another wedge in a split nation

They thought it couldn't happen here. But so did many other nations before America.

Walking the halls of the snowbound US Capitol on Thursday afternoon, a year to the hour since it was breached by a fascist impulse, it was hard to imagine the mob running riot - pummeling police, flaunting the Confederate flag and abusing a Black officer with the n-word.