US capital building occupied by Americans. Police shoot one. Politicians hiding.

[Old55]

Sad state of affairs we are facing here in the United States. What's taking place at the capital building is only a small part of it. The next president will have a fine line to walk and that may not be a bad thing.

CNN reporting "Rioters" those are Americans. If it were BLM they would be protesters. This is exactly why we have a problem today.

 

Police clearing pro-President mob from US Capitol after rioters stormed halls of Congress

 

(CNN)Police are clearing supporters of President Donald President from the US Capitol after they breached one of the most iconic American buildings, engulfing the nation's capital in chaos after President urged his supporters to fight against the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes that confirmed President-elect Joe Biden's win.

Shortly after 1 p.m. ET hundreds of pro-President protesters pushed through barriers set up along the perimeter of the Capitol, where they tussled with officers in full riot gear, some calling the officers "traitors" for doing their jobs. About 90 minutes later, police said demonstrators got into the building and the doors to the House and Senate were being locked. Shortly after, the House floor was evacuated by police.

Supporters of President Donald President climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

An armed standoff took place at the House front door as of 3 p.m. ET, and police officers had their guns drawn at someone who was trying to breach it. A President supporter was also pictured standing at the Senate dais earlier in the afternoon. A woman is in critical condition after being shot in the chest on the Capitol grounds, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The sources could not provide further details on the circumstances of the shooting. Multiple officers have been injured with at least one transported to the hospital, multiple sources tell CNN.

Smoke grenades were used on the Senate side of the Capitol, as police work to clear the building of rioters. Windows on the west side of the Senate have been broken, and hundreds of officers are amassing on the first floor of the building. 

The Senate floor was cleared of rioters as of 3:30 p.m. ET, and an officer told CNN that they have successfully squeezed them away from the Senate wing of the building and towards the Rotunda, and they are removing them out of the East and West doors of the Capitol. It's not clear if any of the individuals have been taken into custody.

The US Capitol Police worked to secure the second floor of the Capitol first, and were seen just before 5 p.m. pushing demonstrators off the steps on the east side of the building. Lines of officers could be seen gathering at the Capitol complex in full riot gear.

Vice President Mike Pence was also evacuated from Capitol, where he was to perform his role in the counting of electoral votes. 

The stunning display of insurrection was the first time the US Capitol had been breached since the British attacked and burned the building in August of 1814, during the War of 1812, according to Samuel Holliday, director of scholarship and operations with the US Capitol Historical Society.

An afternoon of chaos

The protesters first breached exterior security barriers, and video footage showed protesters gathering and some clashing with police near the Capitol building. CNN's team on the ground saw a number of protesters trying to move up the side of the Capitol building. Several loud flash bangs were heard as well.

Protesters could be seen pushing against metal fences and police using the fences to push protesters back, while other officers reached over the top to club people trying to cross their lines. 

Flash bangs could be heard near the steps of the Capitol as smoke filled the air. In some instances officers could be seen deploying pepper spray. Tear gas was deployed, but it's not clear whether by protesters or police, and people wiped tears from their eyes while coughing. 

People shelter in the House gallery as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

After the building was breached, the Capitol police officer in the House chamber told lawmakers that they may need to duck under their chairs and informed lawmakers that protesters were in the building's Rotunda. Lots of House members were seen wearing gas masks as they move between Capitol buildings. Members were calling family to say they are OK. 

There are no clear answers yet on when the joint session will continue, multiple sources familiar told CNN. Congressional leadership wants the situation to be brought under control first.

Police keep a watch on demonstrators who tried to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. As Congress prepares to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory, thousands of people have gathered to show their support for President Donald President and his claims of election fraud.(AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat who is a member of leadership, told reporters: "The Capitol is being cleared. When it is safe, we will return to complete our constitutional responsibilities. This is the United States. We will not allow mob rule to undermine the rule of law."

Congressional leaders were being evacuated from the Capitol complex just before 5 p.m. ET and were set to be taken to Fort McNair, a nearby Army base in Washington, according to a federal law enforcement official. 

President has directed the National Guard to Washington along with "other federal protective services," according to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. The entire DC National Guard has been activated by the Department of Defense, according to the Pentagon.

"The D.C. Guard has been mobilized to provide support to federal law enforcement in the District," said Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman. "Acting Secretary Miller has been in contact with Congressional leadership, and Secretary McCarthy has been working with the D.C. government. The law enforcement response will be led by the Department of Justice."

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Pro-President supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald President on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. President supporters gathered in the nation's capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President President in the 2020 election. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

The official said DC National Guard was not anticipating to be used to protect federal facilities, and the President administration had decided earlier this week that would be the task of civilian law enforcement, the official said. 

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser just announced a citywide curfew from 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday until 6 a.m. ET Thursday.

The shocking scene was met with less police force than many of the Black Lives Matter protests that rolled across the country in the wake of George Floyd's killing at the hands of Minneapolis police officers last year. While federal police attacked peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square outside the White House over the summer, clearing the way for President to take a photo in front of a nearby church at the time, protesters on Wednesday were able to overrun Capitol police and infiltrate the country's legislative chambers.

President tells supporters to go home, eventually

President finally called on his supporters to "go home" hours after the riot started, but spent a large amount of time in the one-minute video lamenting and lying about his election loss. 

In one stunning line, President told the mob to "go home," but added, "We love you. You are very special."

President struck a sympathetic tone to the rioters he himself unleashed saying, "I know your pain, I know you're hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it. Especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace."

Others inside the President's orbit tweeted their calls for calm as the mob repeatedly attempted to take over the building.

Donald President Jr., the President's son, said that his supporters who mobbed the Capitol were "wrong and not who we are."

"Be peaceful and use your 1st Amendment rights, but don't start acting like the other side. We have a country to save and this doesn't help anyone," he tweeted.

Multiple bombs detonated safely

Federal and local law enforcement responded to reports of possible pipe bombs in multiple locations in Washington, DC, according to a federal law enforcement official. It's unclear if the devices are real or a hoax, but they're being treated as real. 

Supporters of US President Donald President enter the US Capitol's Rotunda on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. - Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Photo by Saul LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

A pipe bomb was found at the Republican National Committee's headquarters earlier Wednesday, an RNC official told CNN. The device was found on the ground outside, along the wall of the headquarters. It was safely detonated by the police, the RNC official said.

At least two suspected pipe bombs have been rendered safe by law enforcement, including the one at the building that houses RNC offices and one in the US Capitol complex, a federal law enforcement official told CNN. The official said these were real explosive devices and they were detonated safely.

The Democratic National Committee was also evacuated after a suspicious package was being investigated nearby, a Democratic source familiar with the matter told CNN. The party had preemptively closed the building ahead of the protests, the source said, but a few security and essential personnel were evacuated.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

CNN's Pamela Brown, Phil Mattingly, and Daniela Diaz contributed to this report.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/06/politics/us-capitol-lockdown/index.html

Edited January 6, 2021 by Old55

[scott h]

2 hours ago, Old55 said:

If it were BLM they would be protesters. This is exactly why we have a problem today.

Agreed Old,,,,,No reason to me to expand or comment further. That pretty much says it all.

[Old55]

[Tommy T.]

This shows the rest of the world what democracy is like in USA? Personally, I am disgusted... 

[Mike J]

A great day for Russia, China, North Korea, Venezuela, Iran, . . . . . . 

[Snowy79]

The media has a lot to answer for. Long gone are the days where they used to report the news.  Now it's opionions with a few snide comments to wind the sheep.  Just reading the biased reporting you can tell what side has written the report.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Tommy T. said:

This shows the rest of the world what democracy is like in USA?

Democracy works  best when there is some compromise. In the USA neither side will compromise and there are only the two sides.

The sad thing is that both parties agree on so many issues.  A third party, with a new name, might bring all together by focusing on the points of agreement rather than the points of contention.  Failing that, worse consequences are likely to happen.  Such is my observation and opinion.

[Mike J]

37 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Democracy works  best when there is some compromise.

And democracy works best when people are told the truth. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

3 minutes ago, Mike J said:

And democracy works best when people are told the truth.

People ARE being told the truth, but they are also being told lies.  It is up to the individual to sort the truth from the lies.  That plus there may be more than one truth, (glass is half full AND half empty).

[Jake]

Is this a prelude of worse things to come on JAN 20, INAUGURATION or INSURECTION?  The last time the US capital building was over run was 1814, when the "red coats" attack it.  

What would be the legacy of a man and his followers -- "patriots" who are "very special" to him, go down in the history books?  Will it be "fake news" again?  Two weeks from today is the official inauguration, the official change of command.  Will the man be there to watch this historical event?  Or off to Scotland to play some golf?  (Google the statement from Scotland first Minister Nicola Sturgeon) 

I'm sorry but this is going to be a political statement -- KING ORANGE HAIR.....YOU'RE PUCKIN' FIRED!  
 

Edited January 7, 2021 by Jake
attitude check