In Pictures: Shocking scenes as Trump supporters storm US Capitol
7 January 2021, 07:54
Demonstrators fought with Capitol Police and then forced their way into the building.
Protesters backing President Donald Trump have breached the US Capitol, forcing a delay in the process to confirm Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.
Politicians were forced to rush from the building in Washington to take cover.
President-elect Mr Biden called the protests “an assault on the most sacred of American undertakings: the doing of the people’s business”.
Here is how the events unfolded:
Mr Trump tweeted a video asking his supporters to “go home”.
The video was issued more than two hours after protesters began storming the Capitol.
He opened his video, saying: “I know your pain. I know your hurt. But you have to go home now.”
He also said: “We can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special.”
As scenes at the Capitol calmed, politicians including New Jersey representative Andy Kim, seen here, helped as the clean-up operation got under way.
