US Congress resumes hearing after Trump supporters storm the Capitol Building, Biden: 'This is mutiny'
The plenary session of Congress to validate Joe Biden's victory in the US presidential election has resumed after being suspended due to the incursion of Donald Trump's supporters to the Capitol Building.
US Vice President Mike Pence began the hearing on Wednesday (06/01) evening local time by saying the events that day were "a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol".
"For those of you who wreaked havoc on the Capitol Building today, you didn't win," said Pence.
"Violence never wins. Freedom triumphs and this is still the home of the people. As we come back together in this room, the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy even after unprecedented acts of violence and vandalism," he added.
The Senate Chair, Nancy Pelosi, called for senators to return to work.
In his statement, Pelosi called the invasion of the Capitol Building a "shameful attack" on democracy. "That incident should not deter us from responsibility for legalizing the election of Joe Biden."
"Now we will become part of an embarrassing portrait of our country to the world, fueled by the highest levels."
Pelosi's office is vandalized when rioters storm the Capitol Building.
According to historians from the US Capitol Historical Society, the invasion of the Capitol Building was the first since the 19th century.
At that time, British troops led by Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cockburn and Major General Robert Ross burned the under construction Capitol Building when it invaded the District of Columbia in August 1814.
US security officials announced the Capitol Building was safe ahead of a curfew set at 18:00 local time (06:00 WIB Thursday).
This news came after protesters supporting Donald Trump using guns, smashed windows and clashed with police in a raid on the Capitol Building, Washington DC, causing the meeting to endorse Joe Biden as president.
US media reported that police pushed rioters out of the Capitol building using stun grenades or flashbangs. Journalists inside the building reported that a number of lawmakers clapped their hands when the Capitol Building security chief delivered the report.
As the attack progressed, chants of "We want Trump" were heard in the corridors of the building. Journalists and members of the council and Senate were evacuated to an undisclosed location.
A number of world leaders including Canada, Britain and the Netherlands condemned the unrest.
The Washington DC National Guard has been deployed and Mayor Muriel Bowser has also requested additional troops from neighboring states, such as Virginia and Maryland.
At least 52 people have been detained, 47 of them accused of violating the curfew. Then five firearms, including pistols and rifles, were confiscated.
Washington DC Metropolitan Police Chief, Robert Contee, told reporters the people arrested were not residents of the area around DC.
According to him, a number of officers are currently being treated for injuries.
The police confirmed that a woman who was shot during the rioting had died as a result of her injuries. Authorities have not disclosed the woman's name.
In a press conference, Mayor Muriel Bowser said the woman was part of a number of individuals who entered the Capitol Building. They were confronted by a number of officers who were not in uniform and one of the officers opened fire.
The woman was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.
Bowser added, three other people were killed in the area of the Capitol Building. They consist of one woman and two men.
'This is rebellion'
Earlier, President-elect Joe Biden in a speech from Wilmington, Delaware, called on Trump supporters to step down and open up a running democracy. "
"This is not a protest, this is an uprising," said Biden, and asked Donald Trump to "move", speak on television and "ask for an end to this siege."
"Enough, enough," he said.
Shortly after Biden's speech, Trump shared the video via his Twitter.
"I know your pain. I know your pain," Trump said and again said the election was "stolen," an unsubstantiated claim.
"Everyone knows that, especially the other side. But you have to go home now."
Twitter described Trump's response in the video as a "risk of violence."
Borrowing from one of his campaign slogans, he added, "We must be peaceful. We must have law and order."
"The election then was fraudulent but we cannot be tricked by those people. We must be peaceful," he said.
Shortly after the incident, Twitter and Facebook announced they would temporarily lock Donald Trump's account.
Twitter said the @realDonaldTrump account would be locked for 12 hours and asked Trump to remove three tweets deemed to have violated their terms.
If Trump doesn't delete it, the account will remain locked.
As for Facebook, Trump cannot post anything on social media for 24 hours. Facebook believes that President Trump's page has violated two of their policies.
Vice President Mike Pence, who chaired the ratification meeting, said earlier he would not block Biden's endorsement, as Trump requested.
Pence called on Trump's supporters to leave the building and stop the violence.
"The attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted according to the law," Pence said in a tweet.
The ratification of this Congress is the last step before Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris are sworn in on January 20.
Senate and DPR members who were at the building said they were asked to evacuate and take cover and wear tear gas masks.
The BBC's Nick Bryant who is in the building says, "I started covering in Washington since the 1990s. Never saw anything like this. It's tragic."
A curfew is set by the mayor of Washington DC from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am (Thursday 6:00 am-6:00pm WIB).
Earlier, Trump said in front of supporters that he would never admit defeat in the November 3 presidential election.
Trump continues to emphasize fraud despite the absence of evidence and a number of courts have dismissed the claim.
Before concluding his speech, Trump said, "I know you are going to the Capitol in peace and trying to get your voice heard."
Following the storming of the Capitol Building, Trump tweeted that protesters "stay peaceful".
"I urge everyone in the Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence. Remember, we are a party that abides by law and order - the cost of the law," he tweeted.
Capitol Hill Police call for help as demonstrators begin storming the building.
A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said members of the US secret service and other security institutions were meeting to provide assistance.
Photos of Trump supporters storming the Capitol Building
The demonstration was held in conjunction with the United States (US) Congressional hearing scheduled for Wednesday (06/01) to validate Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election, which also means confirming Trump's defeat.
A number of Republican members of Congress have expressed support for Trump's bid to reverse the presidential election results by rejecting the ratification, but that has almost certainly failed.
Trump supporters have also gathered in Washington DC since Tuesday to stage an action against the endorsement of Biden's victory and that of Trump's defeat.
This is inside the US Capitol. Started covering Washington in the Nineties. I have never seen anything even close to this. This is tragic to watch. https://t.co/WsafxKhbJK
— Nick Bryant (@NickBryantNY) January 6, 2021
In his tweet on Tuesday (05/01), Trump announced he would speak at the "SAVE AMERICA RALLY" rally this Wednesday.
Until now, he still refuses to admit defeat in the presidential election on November 3, 2020 and has repeatedly made allegations of electoral fraud even without providing evidence.
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
Democrat Biden is scheduled to be sworn in as president on January 20.
What happened in Congress?
The two houses of Congress - DPR and Senate - will hold a joint session on Wednesday (06/01). During the trial, the certificate will be opened in an envelope from each of the 50 states. The envelope contains electoral sound documents.
Under the US electoral system, voters vote for "electors" or some sort of voter representative, who cast their votes to elect candidates weeks after elections are held.
Under this electoral system, Biden got 306 votes, while Trump's 232 votes, in the presidential election on November 3.
Representatives of the two parties in the DPR and Senate will read out the results of the presidential election and carry out the official count.
Within the Republican Party itself there are divisions about which position to take. Dozens of DPR members from the Republic and a number of Senate members from the same camp are expected to object to the vote count results in a number of key states.
Dozens of senators under Ted Cruz's command have called for a 10-day delay to allow an audit of the baseless allegations of election fraud.
Vice President Mike Pence - the Senate president who is scheduled to preside over the hearing and declare Biden the winner - has said he welcomes the move.
Pence did not go out of his way to repeat allegations of fraud but according to his chief of staff, Pence felt what he described as "the concern of millions of Americans about voter fraud and irregularities".
Under the US election law, Pence's duties in Congress are administrative, but Trump has urged the vice president to "influence" the election results.
Trump said the Vice President Pence had the authority to reject the official ratification of Biden's victory, but in fact the vice president did not have the authority to annul the victory of Trump's rival.
Objections approved by a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the Senate must be considered by Congress in a two-hour debate, followed by a vote.
However, the majority of votes in the DPR and Senate must support it in order for this objection to be accepted.
The Republic controls the Senate but some of them have said they will not reject the presidential election results. Democrats control seats in the DPR.
Senior Republican politicians say the Senate's role in ratifying the election results is only ceremonial and should not be used as an opportunity to stall the debate about the outcome.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already acknowledged Joe Biden's victory and has asked fellow Republicans not to reject him.
Protests were held
Thousands of Donald Trump's supporters, including far-right activists, are expected to join the rally in Washington this Wednesday. Some of the masses had gathered since the day before.
"I am only here to support the president," one participant told the Associated Press news agency. "I'm not sure what he can do at this stage, but I want to hear what he has to say."
Authorities asked Trump's supporters not to carry weapons.
National Guard troops have been asked by the mayor of Washington DC to assist local authorities. Officials said the troops would not carry weapons and they were deployed to help control the crowd and control traffic.
In connection with the previous protests, the police on Monday (04/01) arrested Enrique Tarrio, leader of the far-right, white supremacist group, Proud Boys, on charges of destroying property. He had been released but a judge ordered him not to enter the Washington area.
Tarrio, on social media, said the Proud Boys would "drop by the most numbers so far", and described its members as "the most famous group of extraordinary boys".
