Chaos in Washington – the booth at 10 p.m.
The Protests by angry supporters of the elected US President Donald Trump in the capital Washington degenerated on Wednesday and have for Chaos and violence in the political center of the USA taken care of. After a heated Republican speech, Trump supporters marched in front of the Capitol, the seat of the US Parliament, to protest against the certification of the presidential election results. During the rush to the convention building, demonstrators broke into the interior of the Capitol. The two chambers of congress had to abruptly interrupt their sessions and the halls of parliament were cleared.
According to the AP news agency, a person was shot amid the protests. In what condition she is unclear, the exact details of the incident as well, reported AP. CNN news channel reported that a woman was being treated for gunshot wounds in the chest. The broadcaster NBC News also reported several injuries, citing security forces.
According to the White House, the National Guard should be deployed. “On the instructions of President Donald Trump, the National Guard is on the move with other federal protection services,” wrote Trump’s spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Twitter. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser ruled in the face of the protests a curfew on – from early Wednesday evening (local time) to early Thursday morning.
At first the situation was confusing. On pictures of the channel CNN could be seen how protesters smashed window panes and thus gained access to the building. In another picture, a protester posed in the vacated Senate Chamber with his fist raised on the chairman’s seat.
MPs who had escaped to safety spoke up on social media or by telephone on national television. Republican MP Adam Kinzinger, for example, called the CNN incident “disgusting” and “absolutely despicable”.
The House of Representatives and the Senate met in the Capitol on Wednesday noon (local time) to officially confirm the results of the November presidential election. Thousands of Trump supporters flocked to the US capital to protest the certification of the election result.
Trump had lost the presidential election by a considerable margin to his Democratic challenger Joe Biden. But he refuses to admit defeat. Trump claims he was robbed of victory by massive fraud. Neither he nor his lawyers provided any convincing evidence. Dozens of lawsuits from the Trump camp have so far been thrown out of courts, including the US Supreme Court.
Shortly before the start of the congressional session, Trump appeared in front of his supporters near the Capitol, had repeated his baseless election fraud allegations and urged supporters to move to the Capitol. You shouldn’t put up with the “theft” of choice.
After the outbreak of violence, numerous politicians urged Trump to stop the riots immediately. Former White House communications director Alyssa Farah wrote to Trump on Twitter: “Judge this now, Donald Trump – you are the only one you will listen to. For our country! “
The incumbent president called on his followers on Twitter to remain peaceful during their protest and to support the police and security forces. In another tweet, Trump wrote: “No violence!”
US Vice President Mike Pence became clearer. Trump’s deputy wrote on Twitter: “Peaceful protest is the right of every American, but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be held accountable with all the severity of the law.”
Pence had chaired the congressional session before the interruption. Trump had called on him directly to oppose the certification of the election result – contrary to the legal requirements. However, Pence rejected this request.
Certification of election results is usually a formality in the United States. However, various Republicans had previously announced a political disruptive action in which they wanted to appeal against results from the states. Trump, in turn, had presented this day of the congressional session – without any basis – as the last chance to overturn the election result for weeks. The outcome of the election cannot be shaken. The Republicans’ political disruptive action also had no prospect of success from the start.
Several high-ranking Republicans had branded their party colleagues’ planned action and Trump’s ongoing campaign against the election result as dangerous. Biden is due to be sworn in on January 20th. (dpa)