The mood outside the D.C. jail on Monday night was a mix of celebration and controversy. Dozens of people with connections to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack came together to cheer President Trump’s decision to pardon nearly all 1,600 defendants tied to the event. The scene felt like a mini Trump rally, complete with music blasting and supporters dancing to a remix of “Y.M.C.A.” For over two years, nightly vigils outside the D.C. Central Detention Facility have been a hub of support for those prosecuted after the riot. This gathering, however, had a different tone. Families, former detainees, and ardent supporters gathered to mark what they saw as a victory. Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt—an Air Force veteran killed during the riot—usually started the vigil with a roll call of detainees. But not this time. “We’re going to skip that tonight because it’s just a variable,” she said. “Everybody’s getting out.” While the crowd cheered, the broader public remains deeply divided. Only two men, brothers Andrew and Matthew Valentin, walked out of the jail that night, according to a White House official. Still, the event symbolized a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over accountability and justice for the Capitol attack. The scene was a stark reminder of the emotions still swirling around Jan. 6. For some, it marked closure; for others, it stirred fresh outrage. As the music played and the crowd celebrated, the debate over the pardons—and their implications—showed no signs of fading. ---