Violent Trump supporters storm US Congress
Murtaza Jaffer
Press TV, London
Supporters of President Donald Trump have smashed their way into the US Congress in an attempt to stop the certification of president elect Joe Biden. Trump continues to dispute the election result but has called for calm as world leaders look on at a nation spiraling out of control.
Outgoing US President Donald Trump has finally declared there will be an orderly transition of power. The news comes after violence in the nation's capital as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building while lawmakers met to certify President elect Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris.
World leaders joined the chorus of outrage condemning the outgoing president for stocking the unrest. For weeks he undermined the result, claiming election fraud, and rallied protesters to head to the capital.
As angry demonstrators stormed Congress, one woman was shot dead by police and three others died of "medical emergencies." An improvised explosive device was also intercepted by authorities.
As the situation deteriorated fellow Republicans urged Trump to call his protest off. Hours later Trump posted a video reiterating his claims of fraud, he also jeered his supporters, saying he loved them and described them as special, but called on them to remain calm and return home. In an unprecedented step, Twitter took down the video and suspended his account, threatening permanent suspension if he continued to violate the social media platform.
President of the European Council, Charles Michel, took to Twitter to voice his concerns. He joined world leaders calling for a peaceful transfer of power. Earlier UK Home Secretary Priti Patel was asked about Trump’s role in stoking anger and mistrust in the electoral process.
In the early hours Republican senator Mitt Romney blamed President Trump for inciting a violent “insurrection.” He also downplayed suggestions of a congressional audit to placate angry Trump supporters.
Many predicted unrest but Wednesday’s scenes went beyond expectation. Four people dead with lawmakers having to cower and abandon the historic building. In less than two weeks president elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated in the very same building, but with scenes of unrest, authorities will be bracing for more potential chaos, as the world watches the most powerful nation descend into even greater levels of division.
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