Terrifying scenes as Trump protesters storm US Capitol

Huge crowds were in Washington DC protesting Joe Biden’s election victory. This is what happened just as all hell broke loose.

Footage of the moments before protesters broke into the Capitol has emerged. Picture: Twitter

Footage shows how Trump supporters quickly surrounded the Capitol building in Washington D.C. moments before storming in.

Photojournalist Caroline Brehman tweeted footage of the protesters, angry at Congress confirming Joe Biden’s valid election victory, swarming the surrounding lawns and roads to the building.

Minutes later, she and others inside the Capitol would have to take shelter and later flee as the Trump supporters forced their way into the building.

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View from inside the Capitol as people gather on the West Front. The Capitol is currently on lockdown. pic.twitter.com/XKNKWNbHxZ

— Caroline Brehman (@carolinebrehman) January 6, 2021

Multiple offices were evacuated and then a full lockdown was imposed as the protesters made it inside.

Those in the Capitol at the time of the breach were told to “shelter in place” inside offices until the National Guard was deployed and people were later evacuated.

Doors to the Senate Chamber were locked and then barricaded with furniture as security stood by with guns drawn.

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Police officers point their guns at a barricaded House Chamber door in scenes from the Capitol building. Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty/AFP

Smoke pouring out of area by House chamber pic.twitter.com/zOwf5UZ0KY

— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) January 6, 2021

Many inside the House Chamber were so terrified they began praying as rioters tried to fight their way in, NBC News reports.

Democrat Chief Deputy Whip Dan Kildee said he and those inside the House Chamber were told to “lie down on the floor and put on our gas masks”.

“Chamber security and Capitol Police have their guns drawn as protesters band on the front door of the Chamber,” he tweeted.

I am in the House Chambers. We have been instructed to lie down on the floor and put on our gas masks. Chamber security and Capitol Police have their guns drawn as protesters bang on the front door of the chamber.

This is not a protest. This is an attack on America.

— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) January 6, 2021

I have been evacuated from the House Chambers and have been escorted to an alternate, safe location.

This is a dark moment for the history of our country. Praying for an end to the violence and safety for everyone in the Capitol.

— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) January 6, 2021

One political staffer inside the House floor when protesters stormed the building said they were told to hide behind chairs in case of any gunfire.

“They then told us to get behind the chairs as we may need to drop to the floor and they are bulletproof,” the staff member said.

“They told us to get gas masks out from behind the chairs and put them on.”

Reporter Igor Bobic shared video on Twitter of the moment Trump protesters entered the Capitol where they were confronted by a lone police officer.

Here’s the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside Senate chamber. pic.twitter.com/CfVIBsgywK

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 6, 2021

Incredible pic.twitter.com/mgijNOUsSX

— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) January 6, 2021

Others made it into the Congress Chamber, with one yelling from the dais, “Trump won that election!” in “insane” scenes, Bobic tweeted.

Another posted a selfie from inside Speaker of the US House of Representatives and Democrat Nancy Pelosi’s office, while more protesters climbed up scaffolding to bang on the windows of the office belonging to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

CNN reporter Manu Raju said the Capitol had been totally taken over by protesters when he was being evacuated, with police in riot gear and gas masks trying to control the crowds.

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The US capital is in chaos as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building. Picture: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP

“These rioters have clearly … breached all elements of this building. You’re seeing debris, trash, all in the elevators, things knocked down, posts knocked down, and this is clearly a sign of how they are gone into all parts of this building,” he said.

A yet-unidentified woman has been shot in the chaos while multiple Capitol police have been injured.

Mr Biden has demanded US President Donald Trump “step up” and end “the siege”, describing it as an “assault” on democracy.

Protesters gather on the balconies of the US Capitol Building. Picture: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images/AFP

Following hours of pressure to appear on TV and condemn the rioters’ actions, Mr Trump released a short video on social media in which he told his supporters to “go home”.

“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,” he said.

“But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order, we have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt.”