Breaking: Capitol Building Evacuated as Pro-Trump Demonstrators Enter the Building

This is a Breaking News story and will be updated periodically

1:00PM

The vote certification for the 2020 election has been halted as thousands of Pro-Trump demonstrators storm the Capitol building.

Rioters waving Trump flags and American flags pushed through barriers to the Capital building and eventually entered the building.

The last time the U.S. Capitol building was breached, it was by the British. Their soldiers burned the building in August 1814, during the War of 1812.

“It is disgusting that police are doing almost nothing to stop it.”

Sophomore Bradley Walton

The House of Representatives has been evacuated, and Vice President Mike Pence was rushed out of the Capitol Building.

District of Columbia Mayor, Muriel Bowser issued a curfew for 6:00PM EST.

Members of the House of Representatives have been given gas masks, as the Senate is evacuated, and rioters have made it onto the Senate floor.

2:00PM

The office of the Speaker and DC’s Mayor have requested presence of the National Guard.

Capitol Police have drawn their weapons and barricaded the doors to the House Chamber.

President Donald Trump tweeted; “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!”

“This is an act of treason from a group of domestic terrorists incited by Trump. 100% his fault.”

Junior Ella Heide

Vice President Mike Pence tweeted; “The violence and destruction taking place at the U.S. Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building. Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

A woman is in critical condition after being shot inside the Capitol building. It is unclear who fired the shot.

The National Guard has been deployed to the District of Columbia. Neighboring states Maryland and Virginia are also sending in their National Guard.

At the request of the Capitol Police, the FBI and Homeland Security is being deployed into the District of Columbia.

3:00PM

Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi issue a joint statement calling on President Trump to demand an end to the protests — “We are calling on President Trump to demand that all protestors leave the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Grounds immediately.”

Smoke grenades were used on the Senate floor to clear rioters

According to local law enforcement, an improvised explosive device (IED) has been found on Capitol grounds.

President-Elect Joe Biden speaks to the nation — “Our democracy is under assault.” Biden urges President Trump to “step up.”

President Trump tweets a video falsely claiming that the 2020 Election was stolen — “We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it especially the other side,” Trump said. “But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have Law and Order. We have to respect our great people in Law and Order.”

“It disgusts me. BLM peaceful protesters were literally shot at and tear gassed.”

Freshman Emaline Handzel

UK Prime Minister and ally of President Trump, Boris Johnson, condemned the events happening on Capitol Hill, calling for a “peaceful and orderly transfer of power.”

Some Democratic Leaders are calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment:

State Police from Maryland and Virginia have been deployed in the District of Columbia.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reacts to the events taking place in the U.S. Capitol:

Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted, saying she is drawing up Articles of Impeachment.

4:00PM

Flash bangs and smoke grenades are being used by Law Enforcement to disperse the crowd before the 6:00PM EST curfew.

New Jersey State Police have been deployed to the Capitol.

FBI S.W.A.T. team has entered the Capitol building in a more aggressive attempt to remove rioters from the building.

Capitol staff were able to remove electoral ballots before rioters breached the building.

According to the Metropolitan Police Chief, there have been 13 arrests. All were rioters from out-of-state. “We were looking at just above, just above 13 arrests, I should add very important note here that none of the arrest that occurred, were of DC residents, all the individuals who were arrested. All were from out of, out of the area,” Police Chief Robert Contee said.

Police are working to clear rioters from the steps of the Capitol building.

“This is a disgusting act of terrorism — not patriotism.”

Freshman Emma Kuhlman

Vice President Mike Pence approved the order to deploy the D.C. National Guard, according to defense and administration official. It is not yet clear why President Trump, who is still the Commander in Chief, did not approve the order.

The woman who was shot earlier today in the Capitol building has been pronounced dead. Her identity has not yet been disclosed, and it is still unclear who fired the shot.

The first 150 D.C. National Guardsmen will be unarmed. They will have protective equipment and riot gear, but they will not carry lethal weapons.

Virginia Governor, Ralph Northam issues a State of Emergency, as well as setting a 6:00PM EST curfew for the areas surround the District of Columbia.

5:00PM

Curfew in District of Columbia and areas of Virginia has gone into effect.

Law Enforcement begin to disperse the crowd away from the Capitol Hill grounds.

“The inequity between the reaction to this ‘protest’ and the peaceful BLM protests is gross.”

Junior Emma Lee

President Trump defends rioters in tweet, saying “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away.” There is no evidence to suggest widespread voter fraud.

In a letter to colleagues, Nancy Pelosi states announced that leaders of congress have decided the joint session tonight. “In consultation with Leader Hoyer and Whip Clyburn and after calls to the Pentagon, the Justice Department and the Vice President, we have decided we should proceed tonight at the Capitol once it is cleared for use. Leader Hoyer will be sending out more guidance later today,” Pelosi Said.

6:00PM

Twitter deletes tweets from President Trump, and suspends the account of @realdonaldtrump for 12 hours. This comes after YouTube and Facebook removed the video of Trump to his supporters.

The House and Senate floors are being cleaned ahead of the session tonight at 8:00PM EST, as staff and press are being allowed back into the Capitol. The secure box containing the country’s electoral votes has been returned to the Capitol.

First Lady’s Chief of Staff and former White House Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham, resigns amid the riots on Capitol Hill.

Vice President Mike Pence has returned to the Senate building, according to his Press Secretary.