Washington: "Peaceful" protesters should be pardoned, but those who committed violence should not, US Vice President-elect JD Vance has said, referring to the attack on the US Capitol during a protest against election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

According to Anadolu Agency, Vance expressed his views during an interview with Fox News Sunday, stating, "If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn't be pardoned." He emphasized that individuals who protested peacefully and faced harsh treatment from Attorney General Merrick Garland's Department of Justice should be considered for pardons.

President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make immediate and significant changes following his inauguration on Jan. 20, including issuing pardons for those convicted in connection with the Capitol attack. In December, Trump told NBC News of his plans to act swiftly on his first day in office regarding these pardons.

Vance further clarified his stance on X, stating, "The president saying he'll look at each case (and me saying the same) is not some walkback. I assure you, we care about people unjustly locked up. Yes, that includes people provoked and it includes people who got a garbage trial."

The events of Jan. 6, 2021, saw far-right groups and Trump supporters storming the Capitol as lawmakers gathered to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, an incident that drew widespread condemnation.