Breach of U.S. Capitol during electoral vote count (January 6, 2021)

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Breach of U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021
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Breach of U.S. Capitol during electoral vote count (January 6, 2021)
Aftermath of the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol
Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol
Reactions to U.S. Capitol breach
Events in state capitals during electoral vote certification
Counting of electoral votes (January 6-7, 2021)
Impeachment of Donald Trump, 2021

Congress convened a joint session on January 6, 2021, to count electoral votes by state and confirm the result of the 2020 presidential election.

Several pro-Donald Trump demonstrations, including the March for Trump and Save America Rally, took place in Washington, D.C., that day to protest the 2020 presidential election results. Thousands of Trump supporters went to the Capitol Building as Congress was in its joint session. Around 2:15 p.m. ET, both chambers recessed as the group breached the Capitol and the building went into lockdown. The group trespassed through several security barriers, leading to altercations with police and other security officials. Hundreds reached the interior of the Capitol and vandalized the building.

Five people died. One woman was fatally shot by U.S. Capitol Police. Three members of the group died of apparent medical emergencies. And one Capitol Police officer died of injuries sustained that day.[1]

After the Capitol was secured, Congress reconvened after 8 p.m. ET to continue with the electoral vote count. In the early hours of Jan. 7, Congress declared Joe Biden (D) the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

This page provides a timeline of events at and near the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Timeline

Times listed below are approximate.

  • 9:00 a.m. The March for Trump event, organized by Women for America First, began at the Ellipse. The event featured speakers including Rudy Giuliani, Roger Stone, and Trump.[2]
  • 11:57 a.m. Trump took the stage at the Save America Rally at the Ellipse, where he called the election fraudulent and encouraged rally attendees to go to the Capitol Building to protest the electoral vote counting. Trump said, "We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women. We’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated. I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard."[3][4]
  • 1:00 p.m. The joint session of Congress convened to begin the electoral vote-counting process.
  • 1:11 p.m.: Trump finished his Save America Rally speech.[4]
  • 1:55 p.m. Capitol Police told congressional staff members to evacuate the Cannon House Office Building and the Library of Congress building as thousands gathered outside the Capitol.[5]
  • 2:15 p.m. The House and Senate recessed debate over an objection to the election results after the Capitol was placed on lockdown.[6]
  • 2:20-2:30 p.m. A group of Trump supporters had entered the Capitol Building. The Associated Press reported that they had torn down metal barricades at the base of the Capitol Building and faced officers in riot gear.[5] Slate writer Jim Newell posted a video to Twitter showing someone breaking the glass on a door to the building.[7]


D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted that she instituted a curfew from 6 p.m. on January 6 until 6 a.m. on January 7.[6]
  • 2:38 p.m. Trump tweeted, "Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!"[6]
  • 2:48 p.m. Police instructed House members to put on gas masks after tear gas was dispersed in the Capitol Rotunda.[6]
  • 2:49 p.m. Huffington Post writer Matt Fuller posted the following video to Twitter from the House chamber showing U.S. Capitol Police with guns drawn in front of a door.
  • 2:51 p.m. Members of the House and Senate were evacuated from the building to secure locations.
  • 3:03 p.m. NBC News' Frank Thorp V posted a video to Twitter showing Trump supporters in the Senate chamber.
  • 3:13 p.m. Trump tweeted, "I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!"[6]
  • 3:28 p.m. Media outlets began reporting that a woman had been shot.[6][5]
  • 3:29 p.m. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) tweeted that he was sending members of the Virginia National Guard and 200 Virginia state troopers at Mayor Bowser's request.[8]
  • 3:35 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence (R) tweeted, "The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building. Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."[6]
  • 3:50 p.m. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted, "At President @realDonaldTrump’s direction, the National Guard is on the way along with other federal protective services."[6]
  • 4:00 p.m. The Pentagon said 1,100 D.C. National Guard members were being mobilized.[6]
  • 4:06 p.m. NBC News reported that an improvised explosive device was found outside a building on Capitol grounds.[10]
  • 4:10 p.m. Biden called on Trump to give a national televised address to call for an end to the riot. Biden said, "At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault unlike anything we've seen in modern times. An assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol itself. ... I call on this mob to pull back and allow the work of democracy to go forward. ... The words of a president matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite."[11]
  • 4:20 p.m. Trump posted a video to supporters on Twitter. He said the following:
“ I know your pain, I know your 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, we have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt. It’s a very tough period of time. There’s never been a time like this where such a thing happened where they could take it away from all of us. From me, from you, from our country. This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So, go home. We love you, you’re very special. You’ve seen what happens, you see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home, and go home in peace.[12] ”
—Donald Trump[13]
  • 4:57 p.m. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) tweeted that he was sending state police to D.C. and was prepared to send New Jersey National Guard members upon request.[14]
  • 5:00 p.m. D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said that people had used chemical irritants on police to gain access to the Capitol and that officials had declared the scene a riot.[6]
  • 5:21 p.m.: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) tweeted he was sending 200 state troopers and 500 Maryland National Guard members to D.C.[15]
  • 5:32 p.m. Northam tweeted that he was instituting a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in Alexadria and Arlington, Virginia, at the cities' requests. He also issued a state of emergency in Virginia.[16]
  • 5:36 p.m. Officials said the Capitol Building was secure.
  • 6:01 p.m. Officials reported that the woman who was shot had died.
  • 6:25 p.m. Trump tweeted, "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. ... Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!"[5]
  • 6:30 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) announced that the joint session would reconvene that evening once the building was cleared for use.[6]
  • 8:05 p.m. The House and Senate reconvened to continue debate on the objection to the presidential election results.[6] Click here for in-depth coverage of the proceedings.
  • 8:34 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) tweeted that he was sending 1,000 members of the New York National Guard to D.C. for up to two weeks.[17]
  • 11:15 p.m.: Police Chief Contee announced at a press conference that four people had died—one being the woman who was shot and the other three of medical emergencies. At least 52 people had been arrested. Contee also said a pipe bomb had been recovered from the Democratic National Committee.[6]
  • Jan. 7, 3:41 a.m. Congress confirmed Biden as the 2020 presidential election winner after debating and rejecting objections to the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania.[6]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ CNN, "What we know about the 5 deaths in the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol," January 8, 2021
  2. ↑ KVUE, "Here's everything you need to know about the 'March For Trump' rally," updated January 5, 2021
  3. ↑ Rev.com, "Donald Trump Speech 'Save America' Rally Transcript," January 6, 2021
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 YouTube, "TRUMP RALLY LIVE IN DC: President Donald Trump at Save America Rally at The Ellipse 1/6/21," January 6, 2021
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Associated Press, "Associated Press Timeline of events at the Capitol, 4 dead," January 6, 2021
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 CBS 4 Indy, "Trump says ‘there will be an orderly transition’ as Congress certifies Biden’s electoral win," updated January 7, 2021
  7. ↑ Twitter, "Jim Newell on January 6, 2021," accessed January 7, 2021
  8. ↑ Twitter, "Ralph Northam on January 6, 2021," accessed January 7, 2021
  9. ↑ Twitter, "Maggie Haberman on January 6, 2021," accessed January 7, 2021
  10. ↑ NBC News, "Improvised explosive device found at Capitol," January 6, 2021
  11. ↑ Associated Press, "Joe Biden calls on Capitol mob to 'pull back,' urges restoring decency," January 6, 2021
  12. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  13. ↑ KCRG News, "Trump tells ‘very special’ rioters to ‘go home’ while making false claims about election results," January 6, 2021
  14. ↑ Twitter, "Phil Murphy on January 6, 2021," accessed January 8, 2021
  15. ↑ Twitter, "Larry Hogan on January 6, 2021," accessed January 8, 2021
  16. ↑ Twitter, "Ralph Northam on January 6, 2021," accessed January 7, 2021
  17. ↑ Twitter, "Andrew Cuomo on January 6, 2021," accessed January 8, 2021
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