Trump supporters storm US Capitol, clash with police; Biden says 'dark moment' in US history
Washington: In an unprecedented attack on democracy, thousands of angry supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol and clashed with police, resulting in multiple injuries and interrupting a constitutional process to affirm Joe Biden's victory in the November presidential election.
The police, outnumbered by the protesters, had a tough time in managing the crowd on Wednesday, as hundreds of protesters breached security and entered the Capitol building, where members of the Congress were going through the process of counting and certifying the Electoral College votes. Both the House and Senate and the entire Capitol were placed under a lockdown.
Members of the US Congress were asked to get hold of the gas masks under their seats as the police resorted to tear gas to disperse protestors.
Multiple officers have been injured with at least one transported to the hospital, CNN reported, citing sources.
Trump, who earlier encouraged his supporters to head to the Capitol, urged them to abide by the law and go back home after the violent clash.
"I know you're hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home. Now we have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We don't want anybody hurt, Trump said in a short video posted on Twitter.
"There's never been a time like this, where such a thing happened, where they could take it away from all of us. From me, from you, from our country," he said.
"This was a fraudulent election, but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home," Trump said in the video message, which was flagged by Twitter to dispute the claim of election fraud.
The micro blogging site added a stipulation that the tweet could not be replied to, retweeted or liked "due to a risk of violence."
Earlier, Trump in a tweet asked his supporters to "remain peaceful."
"Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!" Trump tweeted.
President-elect Biden said he was shocked and sad to see the US "come to such a dark moment".
"At this hour, our democracy's under unprecedented assault. Unlike anything we've seen in modern times. An assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol itself. An assault on the people's representatives and the Capitol Hill police, sworn to protect them. And the public servants who work at the heart of our Republic...," Biden said in an address to the nation.
"Let me be very clear. The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America. Do not represent who we are. What we're seeing are a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It's disorder. It's chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now," Biden said.
"I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution by demanding an end to this siege," he said.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Trump has directed the National Guard and other "federal protective services" to assist with responding to the rioters at the Capitol.
The state of Virginia is sending 200 state troopers and mobilising a unit of the Guard to quell the situation at the US Capitol, according to Clark Mercer, chief of staff for Governor Ralph Northam.
Multiple news outlets showed protestors walking with ease inside the Capitol and hundreds of them occupying the inaugural stage. A large number of them were seen climbing the wall.
Video taken at the US Capitol showed some rioters breaking the glass of a window and then climbing through the shattered pane.
"We're actually looking at video right now of these anarchists... these people who were involved in this insurrection. They broke the glass in the United States Capitol and now they are climbing through the window," CNN correspondent Dana Bash described the footage.
Vice President Mike Pence, who was inside the Capitol presiding over the joint session of the Congress, was evacuated from the building.
"The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building," Pence tweeted.
"...this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, he said.
Washington DC Mayor imposed a city-wide curfew. This is possibly for the first time in the recent history that such a large number of people have breached into the US Capitol and disrupted the constitutional provisions.
"There are no clear answers yet on when the joint session will resume to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win, CNN reported, citing sources.
Congress had certified just 12 votes before the riots broke out. All 12 of those votes went to President Trump. There are 538 electoral votes in total.
Trump - who lost the popular and electoral college vote - continues to dispute the results.
Senator Ted Cruz said that the violence was unacceptable.
"Every American has the right to peacefully protest, but the violence we are witnessing on US Capitol grounds is unacceptable," Congressman Steve Womack said.
"US Capitol Police saved my life. Attacks on law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs are never acceptable. Period. We can passionately protest without being violent, said House Republican Whip Steve Scalise.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trump rushed out of dinner event after shots fired; one arrested
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump and other top White House officials were evacuated unharmed from the annual dinner of White House correspondents after a man armed with multiple weapons fired shots outside the ballroom of the hotel.
The incident took place at around 8:34 PM local time when dinner was served. At that time, Trump was seen having a conversation with Weijia Jiang, the President of the White House Correspondents' Association, and mentalist Oz Pearlman, who was scheduled to present a show at the marquee event at the Washington Hilton here.
Secret Service officials and other security personnel covered the President, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J D Vance, and the Second Lady Usha Vance, who were seated at the head table, and escorted them out of the ballroom.
Several guests at the dinner, including leaders across the political spectrum, journalists and other invitees, ducked under the table, apparently as a reflex reaction.
Putting up a brave face, President Trump later announced on Truth Social that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom is all that I heard, and many guests ducked under the table,” a C-SPAN reporter at the dinner said.
Hours later, Trump addressed a press conference at the White House and announced that the security personnel had captured one person who hails from California.
“I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray going down. I've heard that many times. It was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away. He (the attacker) hadn't reached the area at all. They really got him,” Trump told reporters, recalling the incident.
Trump said one security officer was shot at but saved as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Several protestors had lined up on the road outside the hotel, raising slogans against the Trump administration and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A CNN reporter who was outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton said he saw a gunman opening fire just a few feet away. He was among the dozens of attendees who took cover as law enforcement swarmed the venue.
The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California.
Asked how Saturday’s incident impacts him as the US president, Trump told reporters he is in a dangerous job but that he is no “basket case.”
“I like not to think about it. I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it’s a dangerous life. I think I handle it as well as it can be handled,” Trump said.
Trump has survived two assassination attempts over the past two years – first at a presidential election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and later in Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives...everybody in that room, big crowd, record-setting crowd,” he said.
“We had some great work done by law enforcement, but in light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully,” Trump said.
