A supporter of President Donald Trump carries a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the US Capitol near the entrance to the Senate after breaching security defenses, in Washington on January 6 2021. Picture: REUTERS/MIKE THEILER
Some besieged the House of Representatives chamber while legislators were inside, banging on its doors and forcing suspension of the certification debate. Security officers piled furniture against the chamber’s door and drew their pistols before helping legislators and others escape. One woman died after being shot during the mayhem, Washington police said, though the circumstances were unclear. Three people died due to medical emergencies, said Metropolitan police department chief Robert J Contee.
He told his supporters to pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them “to fight”. A source familiar with the situation said there have been discussions among some cabinet members and Trump allies about invoking the 25th amendment, which would allow a majority of the cabinet to declare Trump unable to perform his duties and remove him. A second source familiar with the effort doubted it would go anywhere with Trump having just two more weeks in office.
Republican senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s staunchest allies in Congress, rejected an effort by his fellow Republicans to object to election results in hopes of setting up a commission to investigate Trump’s unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud. Washington mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew starting at 6pm. National Guard troops, FBI agents and US Secret Service were deployed to help overwhelmed Capitol police. Guard troops and police pushed protesters away from the Capitol after the curfew took effect.