The events that took place in Washington D.C. a couple of hours ago mark a new low, even after the political standard that has been in place since Donald Trump started campaigning for the US presidency five years ago. While Congress was about to confirm the presidential victory of Democrat Joe Biden, a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol building, occupied offices and raged the halls of Congress. The two chambers had to interrupt their session. Representatives were evacuated or had to hide in offices. The situation is widely regarded as an attempted coup.
The attack was not entirely unexpected. For days it has been clear that an angry mob is heading for D.C. where Donald Trump held one of his rallies in which he continued to preach an electoral fraud that has been proven not to exist. Incited by the president’s words, the mob headed for the Capitol building, where security forces were overwhelmed. It took hours to get the situation under control, The National Guard has been mobilized. More than fifty people were arrested. Four people lost their lives.
In a tweeted video lasting over a minute, Trump says, in part: “I know your pain. I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. … So go home. We love you, you’re very special. … I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace.” The video was deleted from all platforms including YouTube. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram imposed a temporary ban.
Republican officials are also distancing themselves from the president. Voices are calling for a new impeachment procedure. Washington has declared a state of emergency pending inauguration on January 20. We have collected the best Tweets about the attack on the Capitol for you.
#1:
You can’t even do this shit on GTA
— The Only (@ChatGotNext) January 6, 2021
#2:
“I know your pain. I know your hurt. But you have to go home now… We love you. You’re very special.”
– Trump to his terrorists pic.twitter.com/mb6GaV0Gxo
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) January 6, 2021
#3:
Just think of the carnage had they not been white.
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) January 6, 2021
#4:
we marched because we were getting killed, y’all are rioting because you didn’t get your way…we are not the same.
— Somto Claus 🎅🏿 (@somtochukwu___) January 6, 2021
#5:
Why y’all keep asking where the police at? Y’all ask where Miley’s at when Hannah’s on stage?
— Beytwicé (@lotoysrus) January 6, 2021
#6:
Well that escalated steadily for four years.
— Ed Stern. Black & Trans Lives Matter. (@EdStern) January 6, 2021
#7:
This probably a record number of camo and cargo shorts ever recorded inside a government building
— K‼️ (@RippyMcGoo) January 6, 2021
#8:
Can’t believe the creators of the monster have lost control of the monster, is there any precedent for this in books or film
— Dan Amira (@DanAmira) January 6, 2021
#9:
The Ministry has fallen.
— Professor Snape (@_Snape_) January 6, 2021
#10:
if the united states saw what the united states was doing right now the united states would invade itself
— kayla dunne (@kayla__dunne) January 6, 2021
#11:
A friend just said to me "Are we supposed to be working during the coup?" and honestly it was the most American thing I've ever heard.
— Dani/Tober: Actually a Witch (@thequeengeek) January 6, 2021
#12:
starting to think it’d actually be incredibly easy to steal the declaration of independence
— viking (@notviking) January 6, 2021
#13:
Flashback: July 27. Trump called for protesters who damaged federal buildings to get a minimum of 10 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/3F58IR1HHf
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 6, 2021
#14:
If you don't impeach and remove a President for staging a coup, what's the point of impeachment.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) January 6, 2021
#15:
They don’t do active shooter drills at the US capitol? Or is that only for middle & high schoolers?
— Franchesca Ramsey (@chescaleigh) January 6, 2021
#16:
Make no mistake: this is one of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11. And it was ordered by the President of the United States.
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) January 6, 2021
#17:
$934 billion defense budget… pic.twitter.com/6dgLZKuc6N
— jordan (@jordan_stratton) January 6, 2021
#18:
Cops are you okay? You've barely touched your protesters
— Penelope Violet #BLM (@penelopew_) January 6, 2021