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The world looked on in shock as a pro-Trump “Save America” rally turned into a mob that swarmed past barriers and stormed the U.S. Capitol. Here’s some of what we know about the breach of the building and the mayhem that unfolded. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/us/Capitol-cops-police.html
It’s around noon when groups begin to gather at various spots near the Capitol, where Congress is set to certify the election results. At the same time, Trump holds a rally, calling on his supporters to “walk down to the Capitol.”
Trump's call causes the group outside the Capitol to swell quickly. The earliest breach of the fenced perimeter we could find happened 200 meters west of the congressional building at 12:53 p.m., as seen in this @ElijahSchaffer video.
Around 50 meters northeast of the Capitol, this TikTok video by @marcusdipaola appears to show officers moving barricades aside and letting the protesters in. https://www.tiktok.com/@marcus.dipaola/video/6914723446496840965
On the eastern side, a similar perimeter closer is easily overwhelmed. Soon, the officers retreat to the top of the Capitol's steps. The crowd rushes them again, reaching the doors of the building around 2 p.m.
For several minutes they try to break through the doors. Some tear gas is fired — seemingly one of the only attempts by police to control the crowd — but the rioters remain largely undeterred. Eventually, they manage to pull the double doors open, and the mob begins to stream in.
Pro-Trump extremists clash with police as they try to gain access to the congressional building. This video by @itsa_talia shows protesters on the northwestern side shooting yellow spray at Capitol Police.
Meanwhile, inside the Capitol's House, Congressman @RepTomRice records the scene just before the chamber is evacuated as protesters storm the building. https://www.facebook.com/reptomrice/posts/3617470511676329
Derrick Evans, a newly elected lawmaker from West Virginia is among the thousands who rush inside. He livestreams it all to his Facebook page, saying, “We’re in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!” He later deleted the video.
The rioters posed for photos and looted large objects. Hundreds of hours of footage of the mayhem has already been archived, much of which will probably be analyzed by journalists, detectives and online investigators alike. https://twitter.com/bellingcat/status/1346989282167119872
One woman was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer, according to Robert Contee, chief of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department. He also said three other people died at the Capitol.
Criticism of the Capitol Police response was swift. “How they were not ready for this today, I have no idea,” said Charles Ramsey, a former D.C. police chief. “They were overwhelmed, they did not have the resources. You have to be able to protect the Capitol. That is not okay.”
“You can be arrested for walking while Black,” said @atticascott4ky, a state representative who was arrested on felony charges that were later dropped during the months of protest over the death of Breonna Taylor. “But you can be white and riot and basically get away with it.”
Read more from @shailadewan, @NeilMacFarquhar and @jeligon here: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/us/Capitol-cops-police.html. Monitoring and analysis with @_stella_cooper, @CoraEngelbrecht, @heytherehaIey, @evanchill, @arielle_designs, @bottidavid, @whitney_hurst, @malachybrowne.
Our team is continuing to investigate what happened at the Capitol today. You can view and read all of our work here, including reconstructions of the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery: https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/visual-investigations
