Inside the mob that swarmed the US Capitol

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January 8, 2021

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Washington, DC (CNN)They came to Washington to protest an election they think has been stolen, and when violence began at the US Capitol, mob logic took over.

CNN spoke to people who stormed the building. They said they felt like they were doing something good. “What are we supposed to do? OK?” a man who’d been maced by police said during Wednesday’s riot that saw the halls of Congress broken into, offices vandalized and five people die. “The Supreme Court’s not helping us, no one’s helping us. Only us can help us. Only we can do it.” Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA rioter holds a Trump flag inside the US Capitol near the Senate chamber on Wednesday, January 6.Hide Caption 1 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressMembers of the DC National Guard stand outside the Capitol on Wednesday night after the riots.Hide Caption 2 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressLaw enforcement officers point their guns at a door that was vandalized in the House chamber after the Capitol was breached.Hide Caption 3 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA rioter hangs from a balcony in the Senate chamber.Hide Caption 4 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters cover their faces after tear gas was fired in front of the Capitol.Hide Caption 5 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA Trump supporter carries a Confederate battle flag in the Capitol Rotunda. During the Civil War, the closest any insurgent carrying a Confederate flag ever came to the Capitol was about 6 miles, during the Battle of Fort Stevens in 1864.Hide Caption 6 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressUS Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, comforts US Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, while taking cover in the House chamber on Wednesday.Hide Caption 7 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressRichard “Bigo” Barnett, the leader of a pro-gun rights group in Gravette, Arkansas, sits inside the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Barnett later showed reporters an envelope that he said he took from Pelosi’s desk. Hide Caption 8 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressPapers and other materials litter the House chamber after it was evacuated.Hide Caption 9 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressCongressional staffers evacuate the Capitol.Hide Caption 10 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressCongressional staffers put up a barricade inside the Capitol after rioters breached the building.Hide Caption 11 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressOne of the most recognizable figures in the crowd was a man in his 30s with a painted face, fur hat and a helmet with horns. The protester, Jake Angeli — known by followers as the QAnon Shaman — quickly became a symbol of the bizarre and frightening spectacle. In recent months, Angeli has been a regular presence at pro-Trump protests in Arizona, including demonstrations outside the Maricopa County vote-counting center.Hide Caption 12 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTear gas is deployed as rioters gather outside the Capitol.Hide Caption 13 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressCapitol Police detain rioters outside of the House chamber.Hide Caption 14 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters storm the Capitol during clashes with police.Hide Caption 15 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressMembers of Congress run for cover as rioters try to enter the House chamber.Hide Caption 16 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressCongressional staffers hold up their hands while Capitol Police SWAT teams secure the US Capitol.Hide Caption 17 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressRioters walk through the Capitol after breaching barricades to the building.Hide Caption 18 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters try to break through a police barrier outside the Capitol.Hide Caption 19 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA rioter sits in the Senate chamber.Hide Caption 20 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA crowd of Trump supporters can be seen from inside the Capitol.Hide Caption 21 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA Capitol Police officer sprays a person who was trying to enter the Capitol.Hide Caption 22 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressUS Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard and Annie Kuster take cover while rioters were in the Capitol.Hide Caption 23 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters climb a wall outside the Capitol.Hide Caption 24 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressA Trump supporter gestures to Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber.Hide Caption 25 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressPeople take shelter in the House chamber as rioters try to break in. House members were given gas masks that were under the seats, according to a pool reporter on the House floor.Hide Caption 26 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters walk through the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.Hide Caption 27 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressPeople bring a ladder to help them break into the Capitol.Hide Caption 28 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressPeople evacuate the House chamber as rioters attempt to break in.Hide Caption 29 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters try to break through a police barrier outside the Capitol. Shortly after 1 p.m., some pushed through barriers set up along the perimeter of the Capitol, where they tussled with officers in full riot gear.Hide Caption 30 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters gather outside the Capitol.Hide Caption 31 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressCapitol Police try to hold back people outside the east doors to the House side of the Capitol.Hide Caption 32 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters try to break through a police barrier.Hide Caption 33 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressVice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi officiate the joint session of Congress on Wednesday. Congress was meeting to count and certify the Electoral College votes before the Capitol was breached.Hide Caption 34 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressRepublicans applaud after US Rep. Paul Gosar, lower right, objected to certifying the Electoral College votes from Arizona.Hide Caption 35 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressThe certification of Arizona’s Electoral College votes is unsealed during Wednesday’s joint session of Congress.Hide Caption 36 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blows a kiss to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell arrive for Wednesday’s session.Hide Caption 37 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressCongress begins its joint session on Wednesday.Hide Caption 38 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump arrives to speak to his supporters on Wednesday. His speech included calls for his vice president to step outside his constitutional bounds and overturn the results of the election. “Hope Mike is going to do the right thing,” Trump said at the rally. “If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election.”Hide Caption 39 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressPeople rally near the White House in support of Trump.Hide Caption 40 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressChamber assistants carry Electoral College ballot boxes at the Capitol.Hide Caption 41 of 42 Photos: Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol on historic day in CongressTrump supporters participate in a rally near the White House on Wednesday.Hide Caption 42 of 42The rally started off peacefully as tens of thousands of people from all over the country gathered outside the White House.They cheered President Donald Trump and his allies as they continued to lie that the election was stolen. Read More”Over the next 10 days, we get to see the machines that are crooked, the ballots that are fraudulent, and if we’re wrong, we will be made fools of, but if we’re right, a lot of them will go to jail,” Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said. “So, let’s have trial by combat.”One man watching Giuliani speak said: “He just said trial by combat! … I’m ready! I’m ready.”A couple of miles away at the Capitol, Congress was meeting to certify the election, a moment that would cement the President’s election loss.Rioters breached US Capitol security on Wednesday. This was the police response when it was Black protesters on DC streets last yearAt the end of his speech, Trump told supporters they were going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to give the “weak” Republicans “the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.”The crowd marched down two avenues to the Capitol, and once they got there some broke through barricades. After a few rioters broke into the building, more followed. CNN stood on a short stone wall filming as people in their 40s, 50s and 60s climbed over it as if they were teenagers trying to get backstage at a concert. They were trying to get to a set of stairs that would take them closer to the doors of the Capitol. A man shouted, “Go upstairs!” — and into the building — “either go upstairs or get out of the way!” Nearby, people climbed a steep wall to get to the upper terrace of the Capitol, even though they could have just gone around a corner and walked up the stairs.Capitol riots raise urgent concerns about Congress's information security, cyber experts warnAsked why they were storming the Capitol, one woman became angry, saying they weren’t storming, and that that was a “media narrative.” They were just making their voices heard, she said. Then she continued climbing over a wall.Rioters overwhelmed Capitol police and many made it into the building. Others stayed outside demonstrating on the steps or climbing the scaffolding being set up for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration in two weeks.One man who went inside told CNN there was a brief discussion over whether to force their way in.”I was actually here when this guy started breaking in with a cane. Obviously there’s a power struggle, there’s peaceful guys that were like, ‘No, no, we don’t want to do that,'” he said.World leaders condemn 'horrifying' riot at US Capitol“Then there was that guy. You know, he just said, ‘Well, oh well, I’m breaking it in.'” Another man described the scene this way: “We broke down the barriers, and we rushed them, we charged them. “We got all the way to the steps and made a line, so we stood there and we tried to push them back a little bit until finally they started getting rough with us, so we tried to push them back. So that’s what we did, we pushed them back. “We tried to get up the steps. They wouldn’t let us up. So then they started pepper-spraying and macing everybody.”For the next three hours, the Trump supporters moved in and out of the Capitol, posing for pictures, while security teams rushed senators and representatives to safety.US Capitol Police chief to resign after Wednesday's riots Four people died during the riot, one of whom was shot by a US Capitol Police employee in a Capitol hallway. Three people died after medical emergencies.A Capitol Police officer was placed on life support following the riots, according to Capitol Police union chair Gus Papathanasiou.One man said some of the police inside were supportive of the rioters.”The cops were very cool. They were like, ‘Hey guys, have a good night.’ Well, some of them. It’s just crazy. It’s really weird. You can see that some of them are on our side.”CNN reached out to the Capitol Hill police for comment but have not heard back. JUST WATCHEDSee what other Trump supporters had to say after chaos at Capitol Hill Replay More Videos …MUST WATCH

See what other Trump supporters had to say after chaos at Capitol Hill 02:39CNN asked one man what their point was.”We’re losing our freedoms,” he said. “What you do you mean, what’s the point?” Clashes with police happened sporadically throughout the day, and waves of tear gas wafted over the crowd. Everyone CNN spoke to Wednesday said they believed the election was stolen. From there, their beliefs were on a spectrum. Some said that if Congress certified Joe Biden as president, they’d be disappointed, but would go home. Others said they fully expected Trump to be sworn in for a second term, and a couple said after that, they expected military tribunals of prominent Democrats who they believed had betrayed the country.Federal law enforcement agencies push for arrests and charges after Wednesday's Capitol riotFederal prosecutors in Washington have charged 15 criminal cases stemming from the unrest, Michael Sherwin, the acting US attorney for the District of Columbia, said Thursday.Sherwin called the 15 charges a “good start” but not the end. He added that an additional 40 cases were charged in Superior Court, many of them including charges ranging from unlawful entry to certain areas of the Capitol grounds.The FBI and Washington police are asking Americans to help them identify people who participated in Wednesday’s riot and insurrection at the US Capitol.CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the Capitol Police officer’s condition. He is on life support.