Everything you need to know about the US Capitol Hill siege

US President Donald Trump’s relentless efforts to reverse the results of the 2020 election took a dangerous turn Wednesday, when an armed and angry mob of his supporters stormed Capitol Hill and clashed with police just as Congress convened to validate Joe Biden’s presidential win.

A woman was fatally shot in the violence that ensued as pro-Trump protestors breached barricades and advanced into the halls of the Capitol building, smashing windows and brawled with police officers in what is widely being considered one of the worst security breaches in US history.

The pandemonium appears to have deepened the divide within the Republican Party, with several leaders pointing a finger at Trump for inciting violence by urging his supporters to reject the results of the presidential election.

So, what happened at the US Capitol?

The Capitol in Washington DC was placed under lockdown on Wednesday after hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the historic building and wreaked havoc in an attempt to stall the certification of the election results.

A raucous group of demonstrators — many of whom were waving ‘Trump 2020’ flags and wearing T-shirts and hats with the president’s signature ‘Keep America Great’ tagline printed — entered the second-floor lobby of the building right outside the Senate chamber, the doors of which were being guarded by law enforcement officials.

The mob managed to get past the guards and enter the Senate chamber, where just moments earlier the election results were being certified. According to the Guardian, one of the rioters was seen climbing up on the dias and yelling, “Trump won that election.”

The protesters roamed through the halls freely, some even entering and looting the offices used by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers. But the lawmakers from the Senate and the House of Representatives had already been evacuated.

The Trump supporters stopped to take photographs and film themselves as they made their way around the building. Videos show people breaking windows and pushing past barricades to forcefully enter rooms and offices in the Capitol.

Four hours after the breach, officials announced that the demonstrators had been cleared out of the building and the Capitol was secure. Senators were escorted back into the Senate chamber to complete the certification of electoral college votes.

Main Image: The Indian Express