As the outgoing President becomes paranoid about his defeat, the fallout of the election defeat spilled over the US Capitol. Dramatic video emerged of President Donald Trump’s supporters storming the U.S. Capitol as Congress debated whether to certify the Electoral College vote.

Elijah Schaffer, a reporter for Blaze TV, shared a video and wrote, “Trump supporters have breached the Capitol building, tearing down 4 layers of security fencing and are attempting to occupy the building, fighting federal police who are overrun. This is the craziest thing I have ever seen in my life. Thousands, police cannot stop them.”

Shortly before, Trump had held a rally in which he railed at election officials, urged Vice President Mike Pence to reject the election results and declared that America no longer has “free and fair” elections. He called some Republicans weak, and he insisted that he won the presidential election, despite even Republican officials in various states, including Georgia, saying that audits and investigations showed that he did not.

Congressional offices were ordered to evacuate and staff was instructed by Capitol police to shelter in place as Donald Trump’s supporters stormed Washington DC to reject his loss in 2020 presidential election. Capitol police locked down the Capitol and evacuated several buildings, alerting staff to “move in a safe manner to the exits” and “close doors behind you but do not lock.”

“I just had to evacuate my office because of a pipe bomb reported outside. Supporters of the President are trying to force their way into the Capitol and I can hear what sounds like multiple gunshots.” Congresswoman Elaine Luria announced on Twitter. “I do not recognize our country today and the members of Congress who have supported this anarchy do not deserve to represent their fellow Americans.”

The joint session of Congress to formally count the Electoral College votes went into recess as pro-Trump rioters pushed against police and barriers and surrounded the Senate chamber, threatening a violent coup to overturn the results of the presidential election and install Trump for a second term.

Members of Congress have demanded the president to urge his supporters to end their siege; his son Donald Trump Jr has also called the violence “wrong and not who we are.” A message from Capitol police told staff that “due to a security threat” to immediately move into nearby offices or find a place to hide or seek cover, take emergency equipment, stay away from external doors and windows and silence electronics.

Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne said that she is sheltering in place with her staff “awaiting more info as we learn that protesters have breached the Capitol.” She said: “These people are attacking Congress at the invitation of Trump. Please sir, tell them to stop.”

Pro-Trump rioters broke windows, carried Confederate flags into the Capitol, breached security, aimed fire extinguishers at people inside, and had attempted to storm into congressional chambers, where members had taken shelter under chairs.

Fallout of the US capitol storming

At least four people are dead after the storming of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, forcing Congress to evacuate as lawmakers counted electoral votes to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November election. The chaos erupted shortly after Mr. Trump gave a speech once again falsely claiming to have won a second term and vowing “we will never concede.”

One woman was shot and killed by police after breaching the Capitol and attempting to enter the House chamber. Stabbing incidents were also reported in the Capitol storming. Trump supporters could be seen climbing the walls of the US- capitol. Three others died as a result of “medical emergencies,” according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Troops from Virginia, Maryland, and the D.C. National Guard were deployed to help quell the violence. Several hours after the initial breach, law enforcement announced the Capitol had been secured.

As the chaos ensued, Mr. Trump told his supporters to go home but repeated the false, inflammatory claim that the election had been stolen. “We have to have peace, we have to have law and order,” the president said.

Police said that 52 arrests were made. Four were related to weapons charges and six firearms were recovered. Two pipe bombs, one near the Republican National Committee and one near the Democratic National Committee, were also recovered, along with a cooler filled with Molotov cocktails. The Senate and House both reconvened on late Wednesday to resume counting the Electoral College votes. “The United States and the United States Congress have faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd we saw today,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, further adding, “We have never been deterred before and we will not be deterred today.”

Pro-Trump disinformation campaign tries to paint the US capitol storm as Antifa attack

Radical conservative activists and allies of President Donald Trump quickly began to spread disinformation about the Capitol riots on Wednesday, claiming with no evidence that pro-Trump protesters photographed breaking into congressional chambers were anti-fascist activists.

Lin Wood, a lawyer behind multiple failed lawsuits seeking to overturn the election results who has also pushed QAnon-related conspiracy theories, tweeted photos of the break-in alongside photos of a pair of notorious American neo-Nazis, claiming that the photos offered “indisputable photographic evidence that antifa violently broke into Congress today.”

The claims are typical of many that arise during major news events and particularly violent acts; fringe communities often label them “false flag” attacks meant to push a liberal political agenda. Other events that have been called false-flag attacks include the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

Almost immediately after reports emerged that a pro-Trump mob, urged on by a speech from the president on Wednesday, had broken into the Capitol, efforts to flip the blame began. Televangelist Mark Burns, a longtime Trump supporter, tweeted, “This is NOT a Trump supporter. This is a staged Antifa attack.” It was posted along with a photo from the break-in of a popular QAnon follower, Jake Angeli, who is known as the “Q Shaman” for attending protests wearing face paint and an elaborate horned fur costume. Trump’s son Eric liked Burns’ tweet.

(Source: AFP, Independent News, the Guardian News, CBS News)