Mob Mentality also known as Human Herd Behavior is a very real and well documented phenomenon. I have no doubt the individuals who organized the Trump rally on January 6th were aware of it and used it to their advantage. Had the mob encountered any member of Congress, regardless of party, there would have been bloodshed, but some individual members were being hunted. AOC was one of them. While most of those involved in the attack on the Capitol just went along with the herd, there were several small groups who planned and organized the insurrection, as well as people who played shepherd for the herd during the actual attack.