PHOTOS: The ‘Stop The Steal’ Pro-Trump Rally In Washington, DC
Share:
Thousands of people supporting President Donald Trump gathered to attend a rally at The Ellipse on Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C.
A group of the attendees left Trump’s speech to march towards the Capitol building where they began scaling scaffolding set up for inauguration.
Demonstrators were met with several rounds of chemical agents before they eventually breached a door and entered the Capitol.
WASHINGTON — Thousands of President Donald Trump supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. to hear him speak at a rally before some marched away and broke into the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday.
The crowd chanted “USA” and “stop the steal” while waiting for Trump to take the stage at The Ellipse near the White House. Some of the attendees left the rally early and headed towards the Capitol building where they tore down fencing and removed barricades until they reached the steps of the building.
“This is better than a rally after dark. I got my bear spray in my truck and my flag pole sharpened up,” an older man wearing a black Trump hat and smoking a cigarette said to a group of people while waiting for the president to speak. “I can’t help it if my flag pole broke in half!”
People scaled structures set up around the Capitol building for the upcoming inauguration and demonstrators began throwing smoke bombs that emitted a yellow-tinted color at the first floor of the building as they attempted to breach a door on the west side of the Capitol building.
At first, only Capitol Police were on the scene, though they were eventually joined by Metropolitan Police Department officers in riot gear and other law enforcement officials who formed lines to attempt to control the crowd.
Law enforcement deployed multiple rounds of tear gas and flash-bang grenades in an attempt to control the demonstrators who were scaling the walls and scaffolding around the Capitol building. Some rioters eventually made their way into the building from the first-floor entrance before attempting to breach other points of entry.
A demonstrator was seen carrying a Capitol Police riot shield, though it’s unclear where or how they obtained it. Another demonstrator slashed all four tires on two government SUV’s parked outside the Capitol building.
After the crowd was repeatedly sprayed with a white powder-like chemical agent for attempting to enter the Capitol building through a side door, law enforcement reinforcements from the National Guard arrived and pushed the police line back. Shortly after, demonstrators overran a small space occupied by media outlets and destroyed their camera, audio and lighting gear.
Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a 6 p.m. curfew for the district. Law enforcement officials formed a police line and pushed everyone off of the Capitol grounds around that time, and most of the crowd dispersed.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected]. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --