One protester got into the office of Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House
Credit: EPA
What has Donald Trump said?
Mr Trump had addressed the crowds hours before they marched on the Capitol, telling them to “stop the steal” and doubling down on his false claims of election victory.
As the violence broke out Mr Trump later called for calm, tweeting: “I am asking for everyone at the US Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence!”
Mr Trump later released a video calling his supporters to go home. He said: “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. We don’t want anybody hurt.”
pic.twitter.com/Pm2PKV0Fp3
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
But moments later, the president doubled down on his baseless claims of election fraud. Even as the Capitol is being assaulted, Donald Trump is continuing to tweet false claims that the election has been stolen.
In his latest tweet, he claims that the vote has been "unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots":
These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
There are growing calls for Facebook and Twitter to remove the president’s incendiary posts, or delete his accounts entirely.
What has Joe Biden said?
Mr Biden condemned the violence and called on protesters to fall back in a statement delivered to the cameras on Wednesday afternoon (see video below).
"Let me be very clear. The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect the true America [and] do not represent who we are," the president-elect said.
“What we’re seeing are a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent, it’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now.
“I call on this mob to pull back and allow the work of democracy to go forward.”
Mr Pence issued a more forceful call for protesters to depart. "This attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he wrote on Twitter.
Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said that "violence is intolerable" and that the actions of the protesters were unacceptable.
The storming of the U.S. Capitol today is unacceptable. Lawlessness and rioting — here or around the world — is always unacceptable. I have travelled to many countries and always support the right of every human being to protest peacefully for their beliefs and their causes.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 6, 2021
Read more: Joe Biden’s speech in full
How Washington reacted
A wave of top officials quit the White House on Wednesday, turning their backs on Mr Trump.
A number of White House staff, including Sarah Matthews, the deputy press secretary, and Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump’s chief of staff, resigned effective immediately. It was also reported on Wednesday evening that Chris Liddell, the president’s deputy chief of staff, has quit.
The US media reported that Mr Trump’s Cabinet secretaries were discussing invoking the 25th Amendment to remove the president. The amendment theoretically allows for the removal of a president who is incapacitated or unwilling to perform their duties.
Seventeen Democratic congressmen signed a letter on Wednesday night calling on Mike Pence to enact the amendment and remove Mr Trump.
Read more: Top Republicans turn on Trump after day of chaos
How the world reacted
Boris Johnson called on the US to restore the rule of law. "Disgraceful scenes in US Congress, the British prime minister tweeted.
"The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power. "
EU officials expressed shock at the "assault on US democracy".
"To witness tonight’s scenes in Washington DC is a shock," European Council president Charles Michel tweeted.
"In the eyes of the world, American democracy tonight appears under siege," the European Union’s foreign policy supremo Josep Borrell said, in a separate tweet.
"This is an unseen assault on US democracy, its institutions and the rule of law. This is not America. The election results of 3 November must be fully respected," Mr Borrell said, referring to the US presidential election that saw Trump beaten by Joe Biden.
"The strength of US democracy will prevail over extremist individuals," Mr Borrell said.
Read more: ‘The world is watching’: How leaders reacted
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