D.C. protests’ ripple effect
Statehouses evacuate amid protests in support of Trump; world leaders react
Protesters who back President Donald Trump massed outside statehouses from Georgia to New Mexico on Wednesday, leading to some evacuations as cheers rang out in reaction to the news that pro-Trump demonstrators had stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Hundreds of people gathered in state capitals across the country to oppose President-elect Joe Biden’s win, waving signs saying “Stop the Steal” and “Four more years,” most of them not wearing masks during the coronavirus pandemic and a few carrying long guns in places like Oklahoma and Georgia.
New Mexico state police evacuated staff from a Statehouse building that includes the governor’s office and the secretary of state’s office as a precaution shortly after hundreds of flag-waving supporters arrived in a vehicle caravan and on horseback.
“It’s the first time in the history of the United States that the peaceful transfer of power has been slowed by an act of violence,¨ Democratic House Speaker Brian Egolf said.
“It is a shameful moment, and I hope that the Congress can recover soon.”
Chaoti c demonstrati o ns in Washington, D.C., came as Congress tried to affirm the Biden’s Electoral College victory.
Georgia’s secretary of state and his staff evacuated their offices at the state Capitol as armed protesters gathered outside.
Gabriel Sterling, a top official with the secretary of state’s office, said it was an internal decision made by Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his team leave.
“We saw stuff happening at the Georgia Capitol and said we should not be around here, we should not be a spark,” Sterling told Associated Press.
About 100 protesters gathered at the state Capitol, some were armed with long guns. Trump has focused much of his ire on Raffensperger in the weeks following his loss by about 12,000 votes.
Trump supporters circled the state Capitol building in Madison, Wisconsin, in cars and trucks adorned with Trump and U.S. flags for several hours Wednesday, blaring their horns.
In Colorado, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock ordered city agencies to close buildings after hundreds gathered in front of the Capitol building for a protest against the election results.
In South Carolina, protesters supporting Trump came to the Statehouse but left before the U.S. Capitol was breached.
Meanwhile, leaders around the
world condemned the storming of the U.S. Capitol, expressing shock at the chaos unfolding in a country they once relied upon for global leadership.
“Disgraceful scenes in US Congress,” tweeted Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, a staunch ally of the United States over generations.
“The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.”
Other European allies were similarly appalled at what they described as an attack on American democracy. Some singled out Trump for harsh criticism.
“Trump and his supporters should finally accept the decision of the American voters
and stop trampling on democracy,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter. He said that “from inflammatory words come violent deeds” and added that “contempt for democratic institutions has disastrous effects.”
European Parliament President David Sassoli, who leads one of the largest legislatures in the world, also denounced the scenes at the Capitol.
The European Union has spent four cantankerous years dealing with the Trump administration, and its top officials have repeatedly said they were looking forward to a better relationship under President-elect Joe Biden.
“This is insurrection. Nothing less. In Washington,” tweeted Carl Bildt, a former prime minister of
Sweden.
Turkey, a NATO ally that has sometimes been at odds with Washington, expressed concern over the scenes of angry Trump supporters surging into the Capitol in an attempt to thwart the certification of Biden as the new president.
The chaos forced lawmakers to be rushed from the building.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement urged all parties in the United States to use “moderation and common sense.”
“We believe that the United States will overcome this domestic political crisis with maturity,” the ministry said.
The ministry statement also urged Turkish citizens in the United States to stay away from crowds and demonstrations.