Protests take turn at U.S. Capitol

Protests take turn at U.S. Capitol

Following a rally at the United States capitol in support of President Donald J. Trump, protesters moved to surround Congress. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives were in session to certify the electoral college votes in accordance with the U.S. Constitution, the final step to Joesph Biden becoming the next president of the United States of America. Objections were being heard to the Arizona electoral college votes when the protesters turned from marching to entering the building. Windows were broken and entrance was gained by some rioters into Statuary Hall and the Senate Chamber. The process was interrupted to certify the electoral votes. Vice President Mike Pence was evacuated along with other legislators. Some were sheltering in place where possible.

Following the unprecedented events Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has issued the following statement on the situation at the U.S. Capitol:

“This is an embarrassment to our country.  This must stop immediately.  The President should call for the demonstrators to leave our Capitol Building. The final step in the constitutional process of electing our president has been disrupted. The stopping of the count of the Electoral College votes has occurred because the security of the U.S. Capitol has been breached by a violent mob. As a nation of laws, this is simply not acceptable. Lawlessness is not acceptable. This is an affront to our Constitution and everything we hold dear. Those who breached the Capitol breached the Constitution.  Peaceful demonstrations outside the Capitol are an exercise of the demonstrators’ First Amendment rights. Stopping the constitutional process by which we elect the president is not.”

U.S. Representative Bill Johnson issued the following statements on the events of today, “I’m shocked and dismayed by the violence here in the Capitol. This is not the way Americans solve our problems.”

The National Guard is being deployed in Washington, D.C.

This is an ongoing and developing story.