The U.S. Congress has been forced to abruptly suspend its proceeding on Wednesday after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building.
Capitol Police sent orders for Congressional staff to leave the Cannon building and other large offices after Trump called on his followers to protest the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory inside the legislature.
“Just evacuated my office in Cannon due to a nearby threat. Now we’re seeing protesters assaulting Capitol Police,” said Representative Nancy Mace in a tweet.
“This is wrong. This is not who we are. I’m heartbroken for our nation today,” she wrote.
Vice President Mike Pence was reportedly evacuated while members of the US Congress sheltered in place.
Pence was presiding over the joint session of Congress that was expected to formally certify the 2020 election for Democrat Joe Biden. The House and the Senate had broken off into separate sessions to discuss objections from some Republican lawmakers to the validity of results from Arizona, when protesters gathered outside breached the outer perimeter fence.
