Donald Trump’s supporters stormed a session of Congress held Wednesday to certify Joe Biden’s election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup.
Moments after an extraordinary rally by Mr Trump seeking to overturn the election, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors.
One woman died in unclear circumstances after being shot inside the Capitol and others were injured, police said, with politicians evacuated and handed protective masks as police fired tear gas.
One Trump supporter in jeans and a baseball cap was pictured propping a leg up on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk, where a threatening note had been left saying ‘WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN’.
The note left on the desk of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
EPA
Videos posted online showed protesters breaking windows and police deploying teargas inside the building.
The Senate has since reconvened and resumed the process of certifying Joe Biden’s presidential election
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has ordered a citywide curfew and the National Guard was called in.
As the incident was unfolding, some US politicians described it as a “coup”.
“A mob storming the US Capitol to overturn an election. A coup in progress,” said representative Val Demings in a tweet.
“This is anarchy. This is an attempted coup. And it’s happening in America because of lawless lawmakers,” added another congressman, Seth Moulton.
People shelter in the House gallery as protesters try to break into the House chamber
AP
“The president is inciting domestic terrorism,” said representative Mark Pocan.
After his supporters entered the building, Mr Trump posted a series of social media messages.
Across various tweets, he told the demonstrators to “go home in peace”, described them as “very special” and said “these are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots”.
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube later said they had removed various posts from Mr Trump’s accounts.
He had earlier used a rally to warn “weak” Republicans not to certify Mr Biden’s victory and put direct pressure on Mr Pence, who later confirmed he would not intervene.
In response to the situation, Mr Biden said for demonstrators to storm the Capitol, smash windows, occupy offices, invade the halls of Congress and threaten the safety of duly elected officials: “It’s not a protest, it’s insurrection.”
He said it was an “unprecedented assault” on US democracy.
“The scenes of the 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,” he said.
“I call on this mob to pull back and allow the work of democracy to go forward.”
Mr Biden won more than seven million votes more than Mr Trump in the 3 November election and leads him 306-232 in the state-by-state Electoral College that determines elections.
Mr Trump has repeatedly alleged without evidence that there was vote-rigging but his team has not been able to prove a single case in court.
Additional reporting by AAP, AFP.
