Pro-Trump protesters breach security barriers on Capitol Hill

Published 38 mins ago, Last Update 7 mins ago
Bomb threat causes 2 brief Capitol building evacuations as DC protests erupt during electoral count
Cannon House Office Building and Madison Library of Congress Building were being evacuated because of a bomb threat
By Danielle Wallace | Fox News

There were chaotic scenes outside the Capitol while lawmakers certify the Electoral College votes on Wednesday after protests erupted and two buildings were briefly evacuated by U.S. Capitol Police because of a purported bomb threat.

A congressional source told Fox News that the Cannon House Office Building and Madison Library of Congress Building were briefly evacuated because of a bomb threat after several suspicious packages were reportedly found in the area.

U.S. Capitol Police are asking personnel to relocate from Cannon and to "shelter in place" at the Rayburn and Longworth House Office Buildings. A police memo sent to lawmakers read: "Due to police activity, all personnel are advised to relocate from the Cannon House Office Building to the Rayburn and Longworth House Office Buildings through the underground tunnels. Do not evacuate outside the buildings. All personnel should shelter in place in the Rayburn and Longworth House Office buildings."

A journalist with Fox 5 DC who was inside the Canon office building at the time said an officer stood in the center of the rotunda and shouted for people to "clear the building."

The U.S. Capitol complex has been placed on lockdown. An announcement played that said in the U.S. Capitol said to "move away from windows and doors" and "no one can leave or enter." People were still permitted to move about inside the building.

Another announcement that sounded inside the Senate press room said: "Lock all doors if able. If unable, seek shelter or concealment. Remain calm and await further directions. I repeat... security threats, security threats, security threats inside the U.S. Capitol."

Multiple suspicious packages have been found near the Capitol grounds, according to multiple law enforcement officials. At least one of these devices looked like a pipe bomb, according to an official who saw the device.

It is unclear if these are actually explosive devices, or if they might be a hoax. The D.C. bomb unit has been contacted. A command center has been set up near 100 block of E Street SE.

Meanwhile, some demonstrators got too close to the Capitol on the west side, which came close to having a breach in the fencing set up to hold crowds back. U.S. Capitol Police is trying to push people back. The entire Capitol plaza is closed, even to members attempting to go into the chamber for the joint session of Congress.

Video shared online showed a crowd, some of whom carried pro-Trump and American flags, clash with federal law enforcement officers wearing helmets and shields

FOX NEWS LIVE

Reports of shots fired

________________________________________________

Associated Press
Lawmakers given gas masks as protesters breach US Capitol
BEN FOX, ASHRAF KHALIL and MICHAEL BALSAMO
Tue, January 5, 2021, 10:53 PM MST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Protesters backing President Donald Trump breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in violent clashes with police that force a delay in the constitutional process to affirm Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.

Trump had urged his supporters to come to Washington to protest Congress’ formal approval of Biden’s win. Several Republican lawmakers have backed his calls, despite there being no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing in the election.

Both chambers abruptly recessed as dozens of people breached security perimeters at the Capitol and lawmakers inside the House chamber were told to put on gas masks as tear gas was fired in the Rotunda.

A chaplain prayed as police guarded the doors to the chamber and lawmakers tried to gather information about what was happening.

An announcement was played inside the Capitol as lawmakers were meeting and expected to vote to affirm Biden's victory. Due to an “external security threat,” no one could enter or exit the Capitol complex, the recording said.

Both chambers abruptly went into recess. The District of Columbia's Mayor, Muriel Bowser, issued a curfew for 6 p.m.

The skirmishes occurred outside in the very spot where president-elect Biden will be inaugurated in just two weeks.

Protesters tore down metal barricades at the bottom of the Capitol’s steps and were met by officers in riot gear. Some tried to push past the officers who held shields and officers could be seen firing pepper spray into the crowd to keep them back. Some in the crowd were shouting “traitors” as officers tried to keep them back.

A suspicious package was also reported in the area, Capitol Police said.

The skirmishes came just shortly after Trump addressed thousands of his supporters, riling up the crowd with his baseless claims of election fraud at a rally near the White House on Wednesday ahead of Congress' vote.

“We will not let them silence your voices,” Trump told the protesters, who had lined up before sunrise to get a prime position to hear the president.

Call them what they are:

Rioters.
Vandals.
Thugs.
Attempting a coup.

If they were thousands of BLM folks half of them would already be shot.
Just sayin'.

Fuckin' 'Murica. lulz

Vitriol wrote:

Call them what they are:

Rioters.
Vandals.
Thugs.
Attempting a coup.

If they were thousands of BLM folks half of them would already be shot.
Just sayin'.

Fuckin' 'Murica. lulz

Name one rioter in seattle, portland, minneapolis, los angeles or milwaukee that the cops shot.

Why did liberals praise and ignore riots when it was blm and antifa ???

turd_ferguson wrote:

Name one </snip>

Why so desperate to change the subject?

Vitriol wrote:

turd_ferguson wrote:

Name one </snip>

Why so desperate to change the subject?

read your original post

turd_ferguson wrote:

read your original post

So the only topic you're interested in dicussing is anything *except* what happened on wednesday?

lulz

Good luck with that.