JUST THE START
Capitol riot: White House ‘grieves loss’ of 4 dead in chaos – but Trump vows it’s ‘beginning of fight’ after loss
THE White House is "grieving the loss of life" after four people died in yesterday's riot at the Capitol - but Trump vowed it is just the "beginning of the fight".
A , after hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in violent scenes as lawmakers met to certify the results of November's election.
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"The White House grieves the loss of life that occurred yesterday and extends sympathies to their families and loved ones," the White House statement from Press Secretary Judd Deere said.
"We also continue to pray for a speedy recovery for those who suffered injury."
Police confirmed the identities of those who died as Ashli Babbitt, 35, of Maryland, Benjamin Phillips 50, of Schuylkill Pennsylvania, Kevin Greeson, 55, of Alabama, and Rosanne Boylan, 34, of Georgia.
Babbitt died after she was shot, while the others died of medical emergencies, police said.
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During a press conference on Thursday morning, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said Trump "must be held accountable."
"The current President must be held accountable for this unprecedented attack on our democracy," Bowser said.
"What happened yesterday is what he wanted to happen and we must not underestimate the damage he can do to our nation and our democracy over the next two weeks."
Robert Contee, Acting Chief of the MPD, said approximately 56 officers were injured in the riots.
He said one officer is still in the hospital after he was pulled into a crowd, beaten, and tazed.
Rep Tim Ryan, the chair of the committee that funds Capitol Police, said during a press conference he is "livid" about the events and that there weren't proper reinforcements.
Ryan said 15 cops in total were hospitalized.
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Many officers were injured after mobs hit cops in the head with lead pipes, Ryan said.
"I'm upset that my police officers were put into harm's way when they were just doing their jobs," Bowser said of the incidents.
As the carnage from the riots is cleared on Thursday morning, police are gearing up for more chaos.
as they geared up for more MAGA demonstrations.
DC Police shared a traffic advisory again on Thursday, as the department said "First Amendment demonstrations" were expected for the third day in a row.
After lawmaker's were allowed back into the building, a joint session of Congress reconvened and an electoral college count of 306 for Biden and 232 for Trump was certified.
A statement was then released from the White House in which the president pledged an "orderly transition" on January 20.
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“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th,” it read.
“I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted.
“While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”
In the chaotic bloody scenes on Wednesday:
- Senators met to
- the building and Capitol
- Vice President
- A and was said to be in critical condition
- An IED was reportedly found on Capitol grounds
- The
- Members of Congress continued to
Trump had earlier appeared to encourage his supporters, even as bloody clashes erupted in the Capitol building.
In a tweet that has since been removed by Twitter, Trump told the rioters they were justified in their actions.
"These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly and unfairly treated for so long," Trump tweeted.
"Go home with love and in peace. Remember this day forever!"
On Thursday morning, Trump reportedly called into a breakfast with members of the Republican National Committee – and stayed silent about the events at the Capitol, reported.
Those in the room said the president received an "overwhelmingly enthusiastic reaction," and he said he would not give a speech tonight, The Post reported.
Yesterday's violence erupted just hours after Trump addressed his supporters at a nearby rally.
"We're going to walk down to the Capitol," he told his supporters earlier on Wednesday.
"And we're gonna cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women. And we're probably not going to be cheering, so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong."
Members of Congress began to circulate Articles of Impeachment as they prepare to attempt to remove Trump from office after the riots.
"I am circulating Articles of Impeachment that @RepTedLieu, @RepRaskin
and I have prepared to remove the President from office following yesterday's attack on the U.S. Capitol." Democrat Rep David Cicilline of Rhode Island said in a tweet.
CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan first reported that Trump Cabinet secretaries were discussing invoking the 25th Amendment to remove the president, but added that "nothing formal (has) yet presented to VP Pence".
“I’m talking about actual members of the Cabinet,” she said.
One woman by police during the confrontation later died in hospital.
Her husband has since identified her as , of San Diego, reports.
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Washington DC Police also confirmed that another three people, including two adult men and one adult woman, died from "medical emergencies" related to the riots but no further details have yet been provided.
Babbitt was an Air Force vet who had 14 years in the service and had completed four tours of duty.
Her husband called her a major President Trump supporter.
A graphic clip shared on social media showed Babbitt bleeding from the neck after she was shot.
later in the evening
The Chief of the DC Police department said that cops will investigate the shooting of a civilian, reported.
The day before she was fatally shot, : “Nothing will stop us…. they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours….dark to light."
Babbitt, who used the Twitter handle CommonAshSense, Wednesday morning — a few hours ahead of her and other Trump supporters storming the Capitol — a “MUST BE DONE LIST before Congress meets today.”
It included, “Mike Pence@vp @Mike_Pence must resign & thereafter be charged with TREASON,” and, “Chief Justice John Roberts must RESIGN.”
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In a televised address tonight, Vice President Mike Pence said: "We grieve the loss of life."
"Violence never wins," he said.
"Freedom wins. And this is still the peoples' house."
Another pro-Trump rioter was also injured after falling from a balcony at the Capitol.
The person has been hospitalized in a serious condition, according to reports.
In another incident, an adult male was stabbed outside of the Trump Hotel.
The victim has been transported to the hospital conscious and breathing. No arrests have been made, a DC Police spokesperson told NBC.
Police also announced that 14 of their officers were injured.
Two cops were hospitalized after they were attacked during the violent scenes, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said at a press conference.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a riot at the US Capitol building during an evening press conference.
Around 5:40pm, the Sergeant-at-Arms announced the Capitol was secure.
At least 69 people have so far been arrested in connection with the riots. Many more arrests are expected to be made.
Those arrested hailed from all over the US – including Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, and Colorado.
People were cited for curfew violations, unlawful entry, and rioting among other charges, according to data shared by of The Hill.
Comparatively, during Black Lives Matter protests on June 1 of last year, 289 people were arrested – with a total of 427 people were arrested in four-day demonstrations in the summer, Kruzel reported.
Pictures show shattered glass, broken furniture, papers scattered across members of Congress' offices, and a "treason" flag left on the floor amid the carnage.
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Meanwhile, several key White House staff have resigned in the wake of the riots with more resignations rumored to come.
the administration.
Stephanie Grisham, the current chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump, submitted her resignation Wednesday afternoon, effective immediately, according to a White House official.
White House social secretary Anna Cristina "Rickie" Niceta also resigned Wednesday effective immediately, a White House official told .
White House press aide Sarah Matthews has also called it quits in response to today's events.
Senator Chuck Schumer addressed the floor once lawmakers reconvened just after 8pm on Wednesday.
In a blistering statement directed at Donald Trump, he said today's events - in which he described "smashed windows (and) vandalized offices" - did not happen spontaneously.
"The president who promoted conspiracy theories and motivated these thugs, the president who exhorted them to come to the nation's capital....egged them on," Schumer said.
"He hardly ever discourages violence and more often encourages it.
"This president bears a great deal of the blame. This mob was in good part President Trump's doing, incited by his words, his lies.
"This violence in good part, his responsibility, his everlasting shame.
"Today's events certainly would not have happened without him."
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Schumer said the event will go down as one of the darkest days in American history.
"This will be a stain on our country not so easily washed away," he said.
"These were not protestors. [They were] goons and thugs... domestic terrorists.
"They must and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
Senator Mitch McConnell said Congress would "not bow to violence or intimidation".
"They tried to destroy our democracy. They failed," he added.
The House voted 303-121 Wednesday night to reject a GOP objection to Arizona’s 11 electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden hours after rioters supporting President Donald Trump violently stormed the Capitol building.
The objection, which required support from both chambers to pass, failed earlier in the Republican-controlled Senate by a 93-6 vote.
Eighty two Republicans joined Democrats in voting to reject the objection.
“What some are doing in this House and Senate today will not change the outcome of the election, which is the clear and insurmountable victory of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said.
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House members and senators broke into separate two-hour sessions after Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., objected to Arizona’s electoral vote.
The session was delayed when rioters entered the Capitol.
It’s unclear how many other states that Trump has contested will receive objections after some Republican senators dropped support following the day’s violence.
Earlier, senators began to evacuate the building as tear gas was deployed in the rotunda.
Pence was , as the building was put on lockdown.
President
"I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!" Trump tweeted.
President-elect Joe as he gave an impassioned speech.
"Words of a president matter - no matter how bad or good that president is," Biden said.
Addressing Trump, he said: "Therefore I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the constitution and demand an end to this siege.
"President Trump, step up."
When asked if he were concerned about his own safety at the Inauguration in just two weeks, Biden said: "I am not concerned about my safety, security or the Inauguration.
"Enough is enough is enough."
– as he still made unbacked claims of fraud and told rioters they're "special."
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It was marked by Twitter as "disputed" and the platform said it could not be "replied to, Retweeted, or liked due to a risk of violence."
"I know your pain. I know your hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and we know it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now," Trump said.
"We have to have peace. We have to have law and order.
"We don't want anybody hurt," he added.
He continued ranting about a "fraudulent election."
Trump added "we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace."
"We love you. You're very special" he said.
"You've seen what happens, you see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil – I know how you feel.
"But go home and go home in peace."
Trump's video was removed from several social media platforms before Facebook, Instagram and Twitter temporarily suspended his accounts.
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Guy Rosen, Vice President of Integrity at the Facebook, explained the video was removed because the platform thinks "it contributes" to "ongoing violence."
"This is an emergency situation and we are taking appropriate emergency measures, including removing President Trump's video," Rosen said in a tweet.
"We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence."
On Thursday,
"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great," Zuckerberg wrote.
"Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."
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An IED device was also reportedly found on Capitol grounds, according to MSNBC.
Law enforcement officers were said to have taken the device and later deemed it safe.
One video shared on social media showed cops using batons as they clashed with mobs inside the building.
Senators and others were forced to lock themselves in various rooms and hide.
After breaking into her office, some , and one was seen with his feet up on her desk.
Tables were also reportedly overturned and a note was left which read: "We will not back down."
Others gained access to the Senate chamber, and at least one of the president's supporters was pictured standing on the dais.
A 6pm to 6am curfew was eventually introduced city-wide and the Pentagon deployed the National Guard to DC.
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Trump was initially hesitant to deploy the National Guard to respond, unnamed sources told and the , leaving Pence to make the call.
The Pentagon ultimately deployed all 1,100 members of the DC National Guard in response to the mob on Capitol Hill.
Pence’s press secretary Devin O’Malley said on the vice president was in “regular contact” with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Capitol Police, though he did not elaborate on Pence’s role in the effort to secure the Capitol complex.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Former US President George W Bush also released a condemning the events.
"This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic – not our democratic republic," he said.
"I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement.
"The violent assault on the Capitol – and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress – was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes."
when some of his supporters descended on Capitol Hill.
In his speech, Trump railed a "bulls*** election" as he made repeated unfounded claims of voter fraud.
"Make no mistake, this election was stolen from me, you, and this country," Trump alleged in an unbacked claim," he said.
Just minutes after his speech, rioters knocked down fences outside the Capitol.
Trump gained criticism for allegedly inciting the mob as politicians outside the US condemned the riots.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson lambasted the "disgraceful scenes" in the Capitol.
"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," Johnson said.
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Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood slammed Trump as he told him to "end this siege before it spirals further out of control."
"Your supporters - @realDonaldTrump - violent protesters damaging & looting the seat of democracy," Ellwood tweeted.
"The most shameful unpatriotic scenes playing out across the world -causing untold long term damage to America."
Video showed rioters running across the grass and toward the building in an attempt to occupy it after the fence was broken.
In one clip shared by Elijah Schaffer, mobsters were seen facing off with cops outside as they fought their way inside the building.
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Cops clad in riot gear pushed back against the crowds with their shields but were outnumbered and overwhelmed.
Staff were told to evacuate Capitol buildings.
Democrat Michigan Rep Haley Stevens said she's "sheltering in place in my office."
"The building next door has been evacuated. I can’t believe I have to write this," Stevens wrote.
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Video shared by showed one cop injured in clashes with mobs was evacuated from the area.
In a second video, multiple officers who were reportedly injured were seen walking away from the chaotic scenes.
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