Name: Mob of Trump Supporters Seize U.S. Capitol in Stunning Attack on Democracy
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Mob of Trump Supporters Seize U.S. Capitol in Stunning Attack on Democracy

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Things you buy through our links may earn New York a commission.President Donald Trump incited his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday where they ransacked the temple of American democracy in a violent crescendo to Trump’s coup failed attempt that led to the deaths of four people, authorities said. The mob at one point occupied the floor of the Senate and threatened to break into the House chamber, held back by a barricaded door and guards with pistols drawn.Here’s the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside Senate chamber. — Igor Bobic (@igorbobic)The stunning attack began around 1 p.m. while Congress convened to certify Joe Biden’s election as president — an effort met with opposition from many Republicans. Around that time, during a speech outside the White House, Trump called on his supporters to head to the Capitol and protest the certification. They followed his command, posting on Gab and Parler “directions on which streets to take to avoid the police and which tools to bring to help pry open doors,” to the New York Times. Meanwhile, a group of thousands on the western expose of the Capitol crashed through metal barriers and stormed up the steps where they quickly overwhelmed Capitol Police. Law enforcement deployed a minimally visible presence to avoid inflaming tensions, the Wall Street Journal . It didn’t work: The mob surged inside, then fanned out throughout the building.Capitol Police an officer shot and killed one rioter, who was seen on with a group trying to break into the entryway to the House chamber. Three other people died of unspecified “medical emergencies,” authorities said. Fourteen police officers sustained injuries.During the four years of the Civil War, the confederates never got closer to Washington than Fort Stevens. Until today, when insurrectionist supporters of paraded through the U.S. Capitol Building carrying the Confederate battle flag. — Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord)The certification vote was halted, and senators were rushed to an undisclosed location for their protection, reminiscent of the chaos on 9/11. A quick-thinking staffer the box holding the Electoral College certificates. Pence, who presided over the session, was also swept to an undisclosed location. Meanwhile, in the House, representatives sheltered inside their chamber. The lawmakers were told to put on gas masks and hide under their seats if necessary.Law enforcement officers point their guns at a door that was vandalized in the House Chamber during a joint session of Congress, as protesters have breached the U.S. Capitol. — ABC News (@ABC)Representative Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee, told Intelligencer he had been perched in the House gallery when invaders broke in and put on a gas mask there before retreating to his office, where he had a&nbsp;“baseball bat at the&nbsp;ready if the sons of bitches come in.”&nbsp;Before leaving,&nbsp;he shouted down to Republicans on the floor, “Somebody call Trump and tell him to call his revolutionary guards off.” Cohen said he was shocked at the treatment of the mob,&nbsp;which stormed the building, and the seeming impunity with which its members were allowed to behave. “All of these people are still hanging out in&nbsp;the Capitol. They ought to be arrested.&nbsp;If they were Black, they’d be shot.”NEW: statement to from a member of Madison Cawthorn’s staff who was with him today while he was evacuated from the House floor. — Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi)By 5 p.m., local and federal law enforcement reinforced the overwhelmed Capitol Police and began to slowly retake the grounds. By midnight, the toll of arrests reached into the dozens: some for weapons violations, many more for breaking the 6 p.m. curfew. Suspected bombs were found at the respective headquarters of the Republican and Democratic parties, to the Washington Post. Protesters were seen trickling away as law enforcement finally convened.The chaos on Capitol Hill extended to the White House. Pence approved the order to deploy the D.C. National Guard,&nbsp;&nbsp;to the New York&nbsp;Times —&nbsp;and it’s unclear why Trump, the commander-in-chief, did not. Trump was unheard from during the first hour of the attack, then he issued a pair of limp tweets calling on the mob, which had already assaulted police, to be peaceful. More than three hours after it started, Trump finally released a in which he called on the mob to go home&nbsp;— but after he said he loved them and repeated his false accusation that the election had been stolen. Twitter subsequently removed two tweets that said as much, locked his account for 12 hours, and threatened to ban him if he continues spouting misinformation. By nightfall, murmurs began of or using the before his term ends on January 20.Biden called it a dark moment in American history. “At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault, unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times,” he said. “The scenes of chaos at the capitol do not reflect the true America, do not represent who we are. What we’re seeing is a small number of extremists, dedicated to lawlessness. It’s not dissent, it’s disorder, it’s chaos. It borders on sedition and it must end — now.”Representative Jake Auchincloss, a Democrat from&nbsp;Massachusetts, told Intelligencer the GOP had practically encouraged the mob by signing on to the effort to challenge Biden’s certification.&nbsp;“I&nbsp;swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and that’s what I came to work on Wednesday intending to do, and it is gravely disappointing&nbsp;to me that there is a subset of Republicans in both chambers who could take that oath on Sunday too and could ignore it and undermine it on&nbsp;Wednesday.”&nbsp;Auchincloss, who saw combat in Afghanistan as a Marine, said&nbsp;that “nothing is going to stop me from walking back into the House chamber to certify the election. I’ll&nbsp;put on my old body armor if I need to.”With additional reporting from Ben Jacobs in Washington.Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Googleandapply.Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy NoticeBy submitting your email, you agree to our and and to receive email correspondence from us.Things you buy through our links may earn New York a commission.THE FEEDCharles is now officially the kingKing Charles became the monarch after the death of his mother, but a meeting formally confirmed it on Saturday. He also approved the day of the Queen’s funeral&nbsp;, though it is not known what date this will be. Speaking before the Accession Council, the King said his mother’s death had been an “irreparable loss”. Meanwhile, senior MPs in the House of Commons, including Prime Minister Liz Truss, have been swearing allegiance to the new monarch.—Sign In to CommentThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Googleandapply.Already a subscriber? Sign InThis email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our and and to receive email correspondence from us.Enter your email:Submit Emailedit emailForgot Password?Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:This password will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our and and to receive email correspondence from us.Sign InCreate AccountAs part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime.Continue ReadingAlready a subscriber? Sign InThis email will be used to sign into all New York sites. 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Things you buy through our links may earn New York a commission.President Donald Trump incited his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday where they ransacked the temple of American democracy in a violent crescendo to Trump’s coup failed attempt that led to the deaths of four people, authorities said. The mob at one point occupied the floor of the Senate and threatened to break into the House chamber, held back by a barricaded door and guards with pistols drawn.Here’s the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside...

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Politics editor, @nymag 's @Intelligencer

Justin Miller

New York is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, and with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite, and established itself as a cradle of New Journalism. Over time, it became more national in scope, publishing many noteworthy articles on American culture by writers such as Tom Wolfe, Jimmy Breslin, Nora Ephron, John Heilemann, Frank Rich, and Rebecca Traister.

Mob of Trump Supporters Seize U.S. Capitol in Stunning Attack on Democracy

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