A violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a surprising attempt to overturn the U.S. presidential election, undermine the nation’s democracy and prevent the Democrat from Joe Biden replaced Trump in the White House.
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The nation’s elected representatives scrambled to duck under desks and put on gas marks, while police tried futilely to barricade the building, one of the most jarring scenes ever to unfold in a seat of American political power. Four people died on the Capitol grounds and the mayor of Washington instituted a night curfew in an attempt to contain the violence.
The rioters were incited by Trump, who spent weeks falsely attacking the integrity of the election and had urged supporters to come to Washington on Wednesday to protest Congressional formal approval of Biden’s victory. Some Republican lawmakers were in the midst of raising objections to the results on their behalf when the crowd abruptly halted proceedings.
(with AP inputs)
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