Protestors supporting President Trump stormed the US Capitol building yesterday as Congress met to confirm the Electoral College vote. Protestors breached the building just after 2pm ET, prompting lawmakers and Vice President Pence to be evacuated from chambers. Four people died in the ensuing chaos (including one woman who was shot by police and three who died from medical emergencies). Police also said they recovered two pipe bombs from the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees. Washington DC Mayor Bowser declared a public emergency during the events and implemented a 12-hour curfew starting at 6pm ET last night. The Capitol building was later secured before Congress reconvened.
More context: Yesterday’s events were met with widespread condemnation from several heads of state, lawmakers, and business leaders. Meanwhile, social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter temporarily suspended President Trump’s accounts from posting, with Twitter noting that three of his tweets violated the company’s civic integrity policy.
Extra: Here’s a series of images capturing yesterday’s events.
The New Paper
This story is from the January 7, 2021 edition of The New Paper – a clear, concise daily briefing that makes fact-first news easy to consume. Try it today.
