Daily US Times: America was shaken on Wednesday as a mob of pro-Trump mob staged an insurrection at the US Capitol building in Washington, clashing with armed police and storming the debating chambers.
This was among the worst security breaches in American history and came after President Trump had earlier urged a crowd of protesters to march on the Capitol and undo his November election loss to Joe Biden.
The violence halted the tallying of electoral college votes to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Vice president Mike Pence and members of Congress were urgently evacuated to undisclosed locations for their own safety.
One person had been shot inside the Capitol building, local police has said and later a spokesman for the DC police told the Washington Post that the woman had died.
In a sombre televised address while the pro-Trump mob was still massed on the Capitol steps, Joe Biden condemned the mayhem. “This is not dissent. It’s disorder, it’s chaos, it borders on sedition and it must end now,” he said.
The Capitol dome is known worldwide as a political symbol and the Senate and House of Representatives chambers are revered as almost sacred.
But today’s mob attack and carnage struck the latest and perhaps most savage blow to America’s reputation as a paragon of liberal democracy.
Thousands of pro-Trump supporters gathered on the Capitol steps wielding flags including “Liberty or death: don’t tread on me”, “Make America great again” and the pro-south Confederacy. Some broke down barriers and barged through police lines to enter the building, chanting “USA! USA!”, wandering halls and corridors, smashing windows and occupying offices with impunity.
One protester reached the Senate dais and yelled, “Trump won that election!”
Protesters stormed the offices of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, ripping photos off the walls and knocking over tables. An image appeared to show a protester sitting contemptuously with his foot on Pelosi’s desk.
Another unprecedented and stunning picture showed armed security forces inside the House chamber pointing guns at protesters through a broken window as if under siege. Another captured several protesters lying face down on the floor as police pointed weapons at them.
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