The United States Congress meets again to certify Biden’s victory
Congress resumed session after authorities secured the Capitol. Both houses were forced into recess earlier as they debated the objection of some Republicans to the recount of electoral votes in Arizona, an indecisive state that voted for Biden.
Lawmakers from both parties re-entered their chambers under heavy security escorts hours after the riots, which saw protesters break through barricades and push police into the House and Senate.
Security agents drew weapons into the House chamber during a dangerous standoff that left lawmakers in fear for their lives.
Several senators who said they intended to support the objection changed course after the violence.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, speaks as the House re-enters session (Credit: AFP)
Senate rejects challenge to Biden’s win in Arizona
The Senate has overwhelmingly deflected a challenge to President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in Arizona, guaranteeing that the result will stand.
The objection to the results in Arizona, led by Rep. Paul Gosar and Senator Ted Cruz, was rejected 93-6 Wednesday night. All the votes in favor came from Republicans, but after violent protesters stormed the Capitol early Wednesday, several Republican senators who had planned to support the objection changed course.
Trump supporters are seen from behind scaffolding (Credits: AFP)
Four killed when Trump supporters stormed Capitol
Washington, DC Police Chief Robert Contee said among those killed Wednesday was a woman who was shot by US Capitol police, as well as three others who died in “medical emergencies.”
Police said both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hours-long occupation of the Capitol building before law enforcement cleared it Wednesday night. DC police officers also say two tube bombs were recovered.
Police found a vehicle cooler that had a long pistol and a Molotov cocktail on the Capitol grounds.
Prime Minister Modi calls for an orderly and peaceful transfer of power in the US.
Condemning the violent situation that unfolded at the United States Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday that the democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through illegal protests and called for an orderly transfer of power and peaceful.
“Distressed to see news of riots and violence in Washington DC. An orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue. The democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through illegal protests,” he tweeted.
Trump supporters destroy media equipment (Credits: AFP)
More than 50 arrested for violating the DC curfew
Police arrested 30 people for violating the Washington DC curfew after rioters stormed the United States Capitol.
The curfew was imposed after dozens of supporters of President Trump stormed the Capitol, halting the constitutional voting process to certify the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. They were later forcibly removed from the Capitol.
The Metropolitan Police Department said 15 other people had been arrested Tuesday and Wednesday in various protests-related arrests on a number of charges, including possession of weapons and assault.
Firefighters also took 13 people to area hospitals on Wednesday for injuries related to the protests.
A Trump supporter is arrested inside the US Capitol (Credits: AFP)
Twitter, Facebook muzzle Trump
President Trump’s personal Twitter account has been locked for 12 hours as he violated the platform’s violent threat policies and will be permanently suspended if he continues to do so, the microblogging site said.
Among Trump’s tweets that were removed was a video directed at his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, the Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday, citing the social media giant.
In the video, the outgoing president said he “loved” them and called them “very special.” Twitter also warned of the permanent suspension.
Facebook followed up overnight and announced that Trump would not be able to post for 24 hours after two violations of his policies.
Note found in the office of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi (Credit: AFP)
Protesters stormed the US Capitol.
Rioters forced their way through metal security barricades, smashing windows and scaling walls to make their way to the Capitol, where they wandered the hallways and fought with police officers.
The protesters were looking for legislators, staff members, and more, people involved in the electoral vote counting process. Completing the count would formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, but protesters wanted to stop the process because they believed Donald Trump won the presidential election.
According to an AP report, the pro-Trump mob took over the chair of the presiding officer in the Senate, the offices of the Speaker of the House and the Senate stand, where one shouted: “Trump won that election.”
As the mob disrupted the Senate, Republican and Democratic lawmakers along with staff members hid under their tables.
Biden denounces the assault on the Capitol as a ‘dark moment’ in US history
President-elect Joe Biden denounced the assault on the Capitol on Wednesday as the violent expression of President Trump’s refusal to accept his defeat, calling it “an assault on the citadel of freedom” and saying that the president had stoked the mob with his brazen and false claim that the 2020 elections had been stolen.
Biden called the scenes of chaos in the halls of Congress “a dark moment” in the nation’s history, called for calm, and made clear that he held Trump responsible for instigating the violence that left members of both parties and allies in horror throughout. the world.
Congress staff entrench themselves (Credits: AFP)
Authorities finally regained control when night fell.
Heavily armed agents brought in as reinforcements began using tear gas in a coordinated effort to get people to move toward the door, then combed the hallways looking for stragglers, pushing the crowd into the plaza and grass, in clouds of gas. tear gas, sudden explosions and percussion grenades.
Video footage also showed officers letting people quietly exit the Capitol doors despite rioting and vandalism. Only about a dozen arrests were made in the hours after authorities regained control. They said a woman was shot in the chest inside the building during the chaos, was taken to a hospital and died.
Police evacuated the chamber at 2:30 pm, grabbing boxes of Electoral College certificates as they left.
The National Guard and the Washington DC police secure the Capitol (Credit: AFP)
Remember this day forever: Trump to his followers
Trump, who had encouraged his supporters to march on Capitol Hill to protest the lawmakers’ actions, expressed empathy for the mob, which violently broke through, confronted police and forced lawmakers into hiding.
“ These are the things and events that happen when a sacred and crushing electoral victory so brutally and unceremoniously strips off the great patriots who have been treated badly and unfairly for so long, ” Trump wrote in a message that was later deleted by Twitter. . He added: “ Go home with love and in peace. Remember this day forever! ”
In a previous video, he had praised the protesters as “ special ” people and said he understood their pain.
Former US presidents condemn violence
Former President Barack Obama said that the violence on Capitol Hill prompted by a sitting president “to lie without foundation about the outcome of a legal election” is a matter of great shame but not surprising.
Former President Bill Clinton said the assault was fueled by more than four years of poisoning policies “by deliberately spreading misinformation, sowing mistrust in our system and pitting Americans against each other.” He called for a peaceful transfer of power.
Former President George W. Bush expressed disbelief and dismay, saying, “This is how election results are contested in a banana republic, not in our democratic republic.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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