A group of irate supporters of outgoing president Donald Trump broke into the Senate chamber on the federal Capitol building on Wednesday afternoon to register their displeasure with the Senate’s certification of states’ results of the November 3 presidential election.
Live TV coverage of the Senate proceedings caught some supporters climbing the wall the walls of the building, trying to force their way into the chamber. There was also footage of an armed standoff between building security and the mob.
Earlier on the day, a crowd gathered outside the Capitol building hoping to force senators to renounce the results of the election that Democratic candidate Joe Biden won according to states’ results and credible media organizations.
Trump, in the lead-up to the certification, was revealed to have put pressure on the Secretary of State of Georgia, Brad Raffensperger, to change the results in Trump’s favor. The president also declared in multiple tweets that his fate laid with Vice-President Mike Pence, who is the president of the Senate.
Trump asked for Pence to reject the results that the president believes are illegitimate. This is in spite of almost all official and independent election stakeholders saying the opposite. The protests seem to have been incited by Trump’s insistence that he did not lose on November 3.
On Wednesday, protesters laid on the floors in the Capitol building and chanted what they believe was the outcome of the presidential race. One protester made it to the Senate floor and into the senate president’s seat to shout: “Trump won that election!”
Offices such as that of Congress speaker Nancy Pelosi were reportedly turned upside down by the protesters.
The defeated president himself tweeted as reports of violence swirled: “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”
Biden is expected to address the nation later on Wednesday while the District of Columbia has declared a curfew for 6pm.
