World leaders express shock at attempt to overturn Joe Biden's election win
WASHINGTON• World leaders on Wednesday expressed shock at the violent rioters who overran the U.S. Congress and attempts to overturn the Nov. 3 presidential election results which dealt a victory to Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
Police in the U.S. Capitol responded with drawn guns and tear gas as hundreds of rioters stormed in and sought to force Congress to undo President Donald Trump's election loss shortly after some of Trump's fellow Republicans launched a lastditch effort to throw out the results.
Here are reactions from around the world:
CANADA
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed concern about the violent scenes in Washington. “Obviously we're concerned and we're following the situation minute by minute,” Trudeau said.
“I think the American democratic institutions are strong, and hopefully everything will return to normal shortly.”
UNITED KINGDOM
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a tweet described the scenes in the U.S. Congress as a “disgrace,” saying the United States stood for democracy around the world and that was it was “vital” now that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.
Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, called the scene from the Capitol
“utterly horrifying” and called for “solidarity with those ... on the side of democracy and the peaceful and constitutional transfer of power.”
GERMANY
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said democracy's enemies would be cheered by scenes of violence at the United States Capitol, and he called on Trump to accept U.S. voters' decision.
In a Tweet posted after protesters stormed the seat of the U.S. legislature, Maas said the violence had been caused by inflammatory rhetoric.
“Trump and his supporters must accept the decision of American voters at last and stop trampling on democracy.”
RUSSIA
“Quite Maidan-style pictures are coming from DC,” Russia's deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy posted on Twitter, referring to protests in Ukraine that toppled Russian- backed President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich in 2014.
“Some of my friends ask whether someone will distribute crackers to the protesters to echo Victoria Nuland stunt,” he said, citing a 2013 visit to Ukraine when then-u.s. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland offered food to protesters.
NATO
NATO Secretary- General Jens Stoltenberg called the violent protests in Washington “shocking scenes” and said the outcome of the democratic U. S. election must be respected.
SPAIN
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a tweet: “I am following with concern the news that are coming from Capitol Hill in Washington. I trust in the strength of America's democracy.
“The new Presidency of @ Joebiden will overcome this time of tension, uniting the American people.”