Protesters broke into the U.S. Senate Chamber in the early hours of Jan. 7 (Singapore time), interrupting the counting of the Electoral College votes of the 2020 U.S. elections.
Vice President Mike Pence was evacuated from the Senate floor and the Mayor of DC declared a 6pm curfew as protesters, some carrying Trump and Confederacy flags, broke through multiple layers of security around the Capitol.
Trump held rally in DC prior to breach of Capitol Building
According to the Washington Post, some of the protesters had earlier attended a rally by President Donald Trump, where he baselessly claimed that there was "theft" involved, and said he would not be conceding the election.
However, they left the site of the rally and began marching on the Capitol.
The protesters then broke into the Capitol itself, according to Igor Bobic, a Huffington Post political reporter.
Meanwhile, some protesters hammered on the doors leading to the House Chamber, while the politicians and journalists inside "sheltered in place”.
According to journalists within the chamber itself, guns were drawn by Capitol policemen guarding the barricaded doors.
Screen shot from Twitter.
Protesters eventually gained access to the Senate Chamber, with some posing for photos on the dais.
There were violent clashes between the protesters and police within the building itself.
As the violence escalated, Trump called for peace on Twitter.
Top image from Getty Images.