Capture of US Capitol: A headline bounty
Here are some of the world’s headlines about Wednesday’s high-profile story:
“Pro-Trump protesters storm the US capitol complex”
“Biden blasts Trump supporters’ ‘siege’ of Capitol”
“Georgia Senate election: Democrats take control with Warnock and Ossoff wins”
“US Congress in turmoil as violent Trump supporters breach building”
“US Capitol: World leaders react to ‘horrifying’ scenes in Washington”
“US election 2020: The people still believe Trump won”
“Georgia election: Trump voter fraud claims and others factchecked”
Here are more details:
A joint session of Congress to oversee the counting of electoral votes in the 2020 general election descended into chaos when throngs of violent Trump-supporting insurrectionists breached the US Capitol building.
It was finally secured nearly four hours later on Wednesday, around 5:30 p.m. Congressional leaders from chambers have indicated they want to return and go back in session to finish the counting of electoral votes.
The rioters stormed the building, forcing the House and Senate to protest the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential race.
Vice President Mike Pence and lawmakers were abruptly evacuated plus members of the press into recess and for lawmakers, Hill staffers and reporters to shelter in their offices before being evacuated.
In response to the violence, Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a 6 p.m. curfew in the District of Columbia.
The D.C. National Guard and Virginia National Guard were summoned to the scene.
The event in most years is simply a procedural formality. Biden won 306 Electoral College votes compared to 232 for Trump.
But outgoing President Donald Trump and his allies spent two months attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
On Wednesday, that effort erupted into violence never before seen in modern U.S. history.
In a letter, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wrote “Today, a shameful assault was made on our democracy. It was anointed at the highest level of government. It cannot, however, deter us from our responsibility to validate the election of Joe Biden…
“To that end, in consultation with Leader Hoyer and Whip Clyburn and after calls to the Pentagon, the Justice Department and the Vice President, we have decided we should proceed tonight at the Capitol once it is cleared for use ... We always knew this responsibility would take us into the night. The night may still be long but we are hopeful for a shorter agenda, but our purpose will be accomplished.”