US riots LIVE updates: Capitol Hill violence condemned as Democrats, Republicans unite against Trump’s false claims of election fraud

Posted on 01/07/2021

Summary

President-elect Joe Biden has been certified the winner of the 2020 Presidential election by the House and Senate, just hours after a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol.
President Donald Trump has released a statement promising an orderly transition of power to Biden, despite disagreeing with the election results.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser extended the 6pm-6am curfew for another 15 days, bringing its end date to the day after Biden’s inauguration on January 20.
The woman shot and killed in the Capitol riots has been identified as a US Air Force veteran. Three other people died in what police called “medical emergencies”.
The violence prompted senior Republicans to launch their most fierce attacks on Trump since his election four years ago.

Trump banned from Facebook and Instagram 'indefinitely'

Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg has banned Donald Trump from Facebook and Instagram indefinitely, saying the risks to America's democracy are too great for the US President to be allowed back on the platforms, amid concerns Trump will continue to incite his supporters to carry out more riots.

Zuckerberg released a statement on his Facebook page saying that "the shocking events clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden."

"Over the last several years, we have allowed President Trump to use our platform consistent with our own rules, at times removing content or labelling his posts when they violate our policies," Zuckerberg wrote.

"We did this because we believe that the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even controversial speech.

"But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government.

"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great.

"Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."

Facebook also owns Instagram.

Twitter also locked Trump out of his Twitter account for 12 hours and demanded he remove three of his tweets.

It does not appear that the President has regained access to his account as he has not yet resumed tweeting.

FBI seeks public's help to identify rioters

The FBI is asking the public help them identify the rioters who overtook the Capitol on Wednesday.

A special webpage has been established inviting people to upload photos and videos of those carrying out and inciting "unlawful violent actions."

Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass had a not-so-subtle tip.

Trump banned from Facebook and Instagram 'indefinitely'

"We did this because we believe that the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even controversial speech.

"But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government.

"We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great.

"Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."

Facebook also owns Instagram.

Twitter also locked Trump out of his Twitter account for 12 hours and demanded he remove three of his tweets.

It does not appear that the President has regained access to his account as he has not yet resumed tweeting.

Mulvaney resigns from Trump administration, others expected to follow

President Donald Trump’s former acting White House chief of staff has resigned his post as special envoy to Northern Ireland, saying “I can’t do it. I can’t stay.”

Mick Mulvaney joined a growing list of Trump administration officials who are leaving following the violent riot at the US Capitol on Wednesday, local time.

Mick Mulvaney has resigned following the riot at the US Capitol.Credit:AP

Mulvaney said he called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday night to tell him that he was resigning. He served as acting White House chief of staff from January 2019 until March 2020. Before that, he was director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“I can’t do it. I can’t stay,” Mick Mulvaney told CNBC on Thursday, local time.

“Those who choose to stay, and I have talked with some of them, are choosing to stay because they’re worried the President might put someone worse in.”

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s chief of staff and a former White House press secretary, submitted her resignation on Wednesday. Deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, White House social secretary Rickie Niceta and deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews also resigned, according to officials.

More departures were expected in the coming days, officials said.

Lawmakers vow investigation over 'embarrassing' Washington security failure

Lawmakers are vowing to conduct an investigation into how law enforcement handled the violent breach at the US Capitol, questioning whether an "embarrassing" lack of preparedness allowed a mob to occupy and vandalise the building.

US Capitol Police, who are charged with protecting Congress, turned to other law enforcement for help with the mob that overwhelmed the complex and sent lawmakers into hiding. Both law enforcement officers and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hours-long occupation of the complex before it was cleared in the evening.

A flashbang grenade explodes as law enforcement officers push back demonstrators at the US Capitol building.Credit:Bloomberg

Four people died, one of them a woman who was shot and killed inside the Capitol. Three other people died after suffering "medical emergencies" related to the breach, said Robert Contee, chief of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department.

Police said 52 people had been arrested as of Wednesday night local time (Thursday afternoon AEDT), including 26 on the Capitol grounds. Fourteen police officers were injured, Contee said.

Democrat Zoe Lofgren, chairwoman of the House Administration Committee, said the breach "raises grave security concerns", adding that her committee will work with House and Senate leaders to review the police response — and its preparedness.

Lawmakers crouched under desks and donned gas masks while police tried to barricade the building when people marched to the Capitol from a rally near the White House in support of President Donald Trump. Washington’s mayor has instituted an evening curfew in an attempt to contain the violence.

Read more: Lawmakers vow investigation over ’embarrassing’ Washington security failure

Analysis: Democracy is a mindset and Americans are losing it

The world might be witnessing not only the death throes of the Trump presidency but of US democracy.

Democracy's great virtue is not that it guarantees the best possible ruler but that it allows the bloodless removal of a bad one, as the Anglo-Austrian philosopher Karl Popper said. Donald Trump's denialist contortions are an effort to prevent democracy delivering its ultimate benefit.

How it started and how it ended: The US Capitol on January 20, 2017 (left) and January 6, 2021 (right). Credit:Getty Images, Reuters

Witnessing the invasion of the American parliament, Trump's first Defence Secretary, Jim Mattis, didn't shrink from naming the chief culprit: "Today's violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Mr. Trump." And he's right.

Trump has potential to do far worse in the final fortnight of his presidency. "Chaos is his friend," his former national security adviser, John Bolton, told me, even before the latest mayhem, "as it has been many times in his life and in businesses and he's hoping to fall back on it".

As unconscionable as Trump's conduct has been so far, he could still conjure much worse chaos if he chooses to activate the armed extremists such as the violent far-right Proud Boys he famously told to "stand back and stand by".

Read more: Democracy is a mindset and Americans are losing it

Biden's win affirmed hours after pro-Trump mob storms US Capitol

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage in the aftermath of a violent, chaotic and ugly day in Washington DC, in which a mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol.

Before we get started on today's breaking news, let's recap some of the major developments from Thursday AEDT:

The House and Senate worked through the night to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win, just hours after they were forced to flee the US Capitol when rioters clashed with police and stormed in.
Trump said in a statement immediately after the vote that there would be a smooth transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden. But Trump stopped short of conceding the election, saying: “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th".
A woman later identified as a US Air Force veteran was shot and killed inside the Capitol during the riot, while three other people died due to "medical emergencies".
Washington DC's mayor instituted an evening curfew that will remain in place until after Biden's inauguration on January 20 in an attempt to contain the violence.
The riot occurred shortly after Trump spoke at a rally of his supporters outside the White House, where he urged them to march to the Capitol.
Biden was among a large group of both Democrats and Republicans who blamed Trump for fomenting the insurrection. “At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite,” Biden said.
The upheaval occurred on a day when Democrats secured a stunning pair of victories in run-off elections in Georgia, winning effective control of the Senate.
Twitter and Facebook took the extraordinary step of locking Trump’s account. Twitter demanded that he remove tweets excusing violence and threatened "permanent suspension".

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