Tear gas, violence in 'insurrection' at U.S. Capitol

Tear gas, violence in 'insurrection' at U.S. Capitol

[NFA] Hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to postpone a session that would have certified President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Mayhem in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as swarms of protesters supporting outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the building in an attempt to force Congress to undo Trump’s election loss.

Police drew guns and fired tear gas after pro-Trump protesters marched through the halls of Congress… House members were told by police to lie on the floor and grab gas masks under their seats.

Police said a woman had died after being shot at the Capitol.

The National Guard was also deployed to the scene.

Some lawmakers live-tweeted the dramatic lockdown… One calling it “surreal”… another, Dan Kildee of Michigan saying, “This is not a protest.

This is an attack on America.” The chaotic scenes unfolded after Trump addressed thousands of protesters and repeated false claims that the election was stolen from him due to widespread fraud.

“We will never give up, we will never concede.

It doesn’t happen – you don’t concede when there’s theft involved.” Trump also applied fresh pressure to Vice President Mike Pence – who had been presiding over the joint session of Congress and had to be escorted from the Senate – to unilaterally reject state electoral college votes.

“I hope Mike is gonna do the right thing.

I hope so, I hope so….” Trump later posted a video on Twitter in which he repeated his unsupported claim that the election was stolen from him, but called for peace and told his supporters to go home.

Outside the Capitol, members of militia groups and far-right groups, some in body armor, mingled with the crowds.

President-Elect Joe Biden said it was an unprecedented assault on U.S. democracy and called for the siege to end.

“It’s not a protest, it’s an insurrection.” And the head of a business group that represents 14,000 companies – including Exxon Mobil, Pfizer and Toyota – urged senior U.S. officials to consider invoking the 25th amendment to remove Trump from office.

Washington D.C.

Mayor Muriel Bowers ordered a citywide curfew that began at 6 p.m.