A US Congressional committee probing January 6 Capitol Hill attack has asked &nbsp;35 telephone, email and social media companies to preserve records which can be relevant to its investigation. Reuters quoted source to say that these records include those of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr.

In a statement revealing the data preservation requests, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives' Jan. 6 investigation committee, led by Democrat Bennie Thompson, said it had "sent letters to 35 private-sector entities, including telecommunications, email, and social media companies, instructing them to preserve records" which could be "relevant" to the committee's inquiry.

"The Select Committee is at this point gathering facts, not alleging wrongdoing by any individual," the statement added.

This marked the House committee's latest round of requests after last week ordering federal agencies and social media companies to hand over records related to the violence and the events leading up to it.

Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Biden's victory. Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

A US Congressional committee probing January 6 Capitol Hill attack has asked 35 telephone, email and social media companies to preserve records which can be relevant to its investigation.

A US Congressional committee probing January 6 Capitol Hill attack has asked 35 telephone, email and social media companies to preserve records which can be relevant to its investigation. Reuters quoted source to say that these records include those of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. In a statement revealing the data preservation requests, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives' Jan. 6 investigation committee, led by Democrat Bennie Thompson, said it had "sent letters to 35 private-sector entities, including telecommunications, email, and social media companies, instructing them to preserve records" which could be "relevant" to the committee's inquiry. "The Select Committee is at this point gathering facts, not alleging wrongdoing by any individual," the statement added. This marked the House committee's latest round of requests after last week ordering federal agencies and social media companies to hand over records related to the violence and the events leading up to it. Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Biden's victory. Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the attack. (With inputs from agencies)

Capitol Hill attack: Congress committee asks telecom companies to preserve Trump's call records

An investigation into the January 06 Capitol riots has concluded that the government, military and law enforcement failed miserably at controlling the situation — before and after the riots.

The Senate report claims the soldiers on the front were left directionless by their seniors, resulting in brain injuries, chemical burns and broken bones in several officers who were trying to control the raging supporters of former President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-was-scared-biden-would-be-replaced-with-hillary-clinton-or-michelle-obama-book-claims-390209" hreflang="en">Trump was scared Biden would be replaced with Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama, book claims</a>

"I was horrified that no deputy chief or above was on the radio or helping us," an officer told the investigating committee anonymously. "For hours the screams on the radio were horrific, the sights were unimaginable and there was a complete loss of control … For hours no chief or above took command and control. Officers were begging and pleading for help for medical triage."

While the report clearly states that the law enforcement and police forces failed miserably, it does not answer the questions of the origin of the riots.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/our-president-donald-trump-attacks-fauci-hints-at-re-run-in-2024-election-390165" hreflang="en">'Our president': Donald Trump attacks Fauci, hints at re-run in 2024 election</a>

"This report is important in the fact that it allows us to make some immediate improvements to the security situation here in the Capitol," said Michigan Senator Gary Peters, the chairman of the homeland security and governmental affairs committee. "But it does not answer some of the bigger questions that we need to face, quite frankly, as a country and as a democracy."

The Senate report claims that as the officers in the US Capitol building tried to control the situation with their limited resources and repeatedly begged for help, the Pentagon spent hours "mission planning" a combat technique and wasted immense time and resources in getting rid of multiple layers of approval.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-hits-out-at-biden-for-bowing-down-to-china-urges-him-to-put-america-first-389769" hreflang="en">Trump hits out at Biden for 'bowing down' to China, urges him to 'put America first'</a>

Alleging that nobody in the higher authority really understood their duties and responsibility, through this report, the Capitol police board has been advised to "regularly review the policies and procedures" and Congress has been urged to immediately grant more authority to the police chief.

The investigation also concluded that the Capitol Police’s system completely broke down during the riot which was due to lack of leadership, faulty equipment, poor planning and lack of on-the-spot thinking.

"USCP leadership never took control of the radio system to communicate orders to frontline officers," the investigation stated. However, the acting chief of police, Yogananda Pittman claims the lack of communication was a result of "incident commanders being overwhelmed and engaging with rioters, rather than issuing orders over the radio".

While the report alleged the higher authorities of poor handling of the situation, the Senate appreciated the officers present in the building on January 06 and said, “the officers inside all behaved admirably and heroically and, even outnumbered, went on the offensive and took the Capitol back”.

An investigation into the January 06 Capitol riots has concluded that the government, military and law enforcement failed miserably at controlling the situation — before and after the riots.

An investigation into the January 06 Capitol riots has concluded that the government, military and law enforcement failed miserably at controlling the situation — before and after the riots. The Senate report claims the soldiers on the front were left directionless by their seniors, resulting in brain injuries, chemical burns and broken bones in several officers who were trying to control the raging supporters of former President Donald Trump. Also read | Trump was scared Biden would be replaced with Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama, book claims "I was horrified that no deputy chief or above was on the radio or helping us," an officer told the investigating committee anonymously. "For hours the screams on the radio were horrific, the sights were unimaginable and there was a complete loss of control … For hours no chief or above took command and control. Officers were begging and pleading for help for medical triage." While the report clearly states that the law enforcement and police forces failed miserably, it does not answer the questions of the origin of the riots. Also read | 'Our president': Donald Trump attacks Fauci, hints at re-run in 2024 election "This report is important in the fact that it allows us to make some immediate improvements to the security situation here in the Capitol," said Michigan Senator Gary Peters, the chairman of the homeland security and governmental affairs committee. "But it does not answer some of the bigger questions that we need to face, quite frankly, as a country and as a democracy." The Senate report claims that as the officers in the US Capitol building tried to control the situation with their limited resources and repeatedly begged for help, the Pentagon spent hours "mission planning" a combat technique and wasted immense time and resources in getting rid of multiple layers of approval. Also read | Trump hits out at Biden for 'bowing down' to China, urges him to 'put America first' Alleging that nobody in the higher authority really understood their duties and responsibility, through this report, the Capitol police board has been advised to "regularly review the policies and procedures" and Congress has been urged to immediately grant more authority to the police chief. The investigation also concluded that the Capitol Police’s system completely broke down during the riot which was due to lack of leadership, faulty equipment, poor planning and lack of on-the-spot thinking. "USCP leadership never took control of the radio system to communicate orders to frontline officers," the investigation stated. However, the acting chief of police, Yogananda Pittman claims the lack of communication was a result of "incident commanders being overwhelmed and engaging with rioters, rather than issuing orders over the radio". While the report alleged the higher authorities of poor handling of the situation, the Senate appreciated the officers present in the building on January 06 and said, “the officers inside all behaved admirably and heroically and, even outnumbered, went on the offensive and took the Capitol back”.

Directionless and poor management: Senate report highlights faulty leadership during Capitol riots

The events of the infamous Capitol Hill riot are set to be depicted in a limited series, soon.&nbsp; 
 
The story of the January 6 Capitol riot is already being developed into a series at Showtime.

The show will be created by&nbsp;duo Billy Ray and Shane Salerno, who previously worked on Showtime's series 'The Comey Rule'. Ray is slated to write and direct the series, with Salerno serving as executive producer. Josh McLaughlin will also executive produce, with Showtime producing.

<a data-ved="0ahUKEwjbw4mrjb7vAhUm7XMBHcZTAhk4FBDF9AEIWzAF" href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/did-the-simpsons-predict-the-us-capitol-hill-riots-the-internet-seems-to-think-so-355151" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/did-the-simpsons-predict-the-us-capitol-hill-riots-the-internet-seems-to-think-so-355151&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjbw4mrjb7vAhUm7XMBHcZTAhk4FBDF9AEIWzAF">Did `The Simpsons` predict the US Capitol Hill riots? The Internet seems to think so</a>

According to Variety, the limited series will examine and explore multiple points of view of the events leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including the final days of the Trump administration, and culminate with the attack itself, the aftermath, and the FBI and Congressional investigations.

The deadly riot, which injured more than 140 people and killed five, occurred when former President Trump's supporters and insurrectionists attempted to overthrow the election by breaking into the Capitol building while Congress was in the process of confirming the electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.

The events of the infamous Capitol Hill riot are set to be depicted in a limited series, soon. The story of the January 6 Capitol riot is already being developed into a series at Showtime.

The events of the infamous Capitol Hill riot are set to be depicted in a limited series, soon. The story of the January 6 Capitol riot is already being developed into a series at Showtime. The show will be created by duo Billy Ray and Shane Salerno, who previously worked on Showtime's series 'The Comey Rule'. Ray is slated to write and direct the series, with Salerno serving as executive producer. Josh McLaughlin will also executive produce, with Showtime producing. Did `The Simpsons` predict the US Capitol Hill riots? The Internet seems to think so According to Variety, the limited series will examine and explore multiple points of view of the events leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including the final days of the Trump administration, and culminate with the attack itself, the aftermath, and the FBI and Congressional investigations. The deadly riot, which injured more than 140 people and killed five, occurred when former President Trump's supporters and insurrectionists attempted to overthrow the election by breaking into the Capitol building while Congress was in the process of confirming the electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.

Limited series about Capitol riot in works at Showtime

Pentagon officials placed “unusual” restrictions on the D.C. National Guard before the Capitol riot, its commander told senators Wednesday, saying the military leaders’ fears of a repeat of aggressive tactics used during racial justice protests last year slowed decision-making and squandered time as the violence by a pro-Trump mob escalated.

Military and federal security officials detailed in a joint Senate committee hearing the additional security breakdowns that led to the failure to quell the mob attack on Jan. 6. Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, the D.C. National Guard commander, said he did not receive approval to mobilize troops until more than three hours after he had requested it.

The delay he outlined was longer than previously known and came to light in the latest hearing by lawmakers investigating the attack.

Days before the riot, the Pentagon had removed Walker’s authority to quickly deploy his troops, he testified. He said he was unable to move troops even from one traffic stop to another without permission from Ryan D. McCarthy, the Army secretary. Once Walker had approval for deployment, the guard arrived at the Capitol only minutes later, at 5:20 p.m., and helped reestablish the security perimeter on the east side of the building.

Walker said he could have had 150 troops to the complex hours earlier. The violent rampage that unfolded over nearly five hours caused injuries to nearly 140 police officers and left five people dead.

“That number could have made a difference,” Walker said of the possibility of deploying his troops earlier.

“Seconds mattered,” he added. “Minutes mattered.”

In response to questions from senators, Walker said he believed that a double standard existed in the military decision-making, pointing out differences between the quick and aggressive tactics he was authorized to use during protests last spring and summer of police killings of Black men and the slower response to the violence of Trump supporters. He said military officials had expressed concerns about the optics of sending troops into the Capitol to subdue Americans.

“The Army senior leaders did not think it looked good” and did not think “it would be a good optic,” Walker said. “The word I kept hearing was the ‘optics’ of it.”

When asked whether a similar debate had played out last year, Walker said no.

“It was never discussed the week of June,” he said. “It was never discussed July 4, when we were supporting the city. It was never discussed Aug. 28, when we supported the city.”

“Did you think that was unusual?” asked Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the Democratic head of the Homeland Security Committee.

“I did,” Walker said.

The restrictions were put in place because of the widely criticized crackdown by the guard on mostly peaceful protesters in Washington in June, said Robert G. Salesses, a senior Defense Department official testifying at the hearing.

He said that McCarthy and other military officials, including Christopher Miller, the acting defense secretary, delayed deciding whether to deploy forces on Jan. 6 because they wanted to know more about what the troops would be doing. They had assumed deployment authority over the D.C. National Guard to avoid a repeat of last year, Salesses said.

“Secretary Miller wanted to make the decisions of how the National Guard was going to be employed on that day,” Salesses testified.

Walker recounted how the day had unfolded as Trump supporters protesting congressional certification of the election results devolved into violence. He said he had received a “frantic call” at 1:49 p.m. from Steven A. Sund, then the chief of the Capitol Police, about half an hour before rioters breached the Capitol.

“Chief Sund, his voice cracking with emotion, indicated that there was a dire emergency at the Capitol,” Walker testified. “He requested the immediate assistance of as many available National Guardsmen I could muster.”

He said he had immediately alerted Army leaders and even put troops on buses “ready to move to the Capitol.” But Miller did not approve the request until 3:04 p.m., after military officials had expressed their concerns about optics. Walker did not receive word that Pentagon officials had authorized his request until 5:08 p.m. — three hours and 19 minutes after he had received Sund’s plea.

“I keep thinking of the hours that went by, and the people who were injured and the officers whose lives were changed forever,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. and the chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee. “We must get to the bottom of why, that very day, it took the Defense Department so long to deploy the guard.”

After hearing Walker’s testimony, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the top Republican on the committee, told reporters he wanted to hear from higher-ranking military officials.

“Certainly we’ll have questions for Secretary McCarthy and for acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller,” Blunt said. “It’s definitely going to require an opportunity to ask them questions about their view from their perspective of why this decision-making process went so horribly wrong.”

The testimony came at the latest bipartisan investigative hearing of the Homeland Security and Rules Committees. At a hearing last week, Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington testified that he was “stunned” at the slow deployment of the National Guard on Jan. 6, noting that even as the violence escalated, the Army had expressed reluctance to send troops.

At that hearing, the first joint oversight meeting of the two committees, three former top Capitol security officials deflected responsibility for failures that contributed to the riot, blaming the other agencies, one another and at one point even a subordinate for the breakdowns that allowed hundreds of Trump supporters to storm the Capitol.

The officials testified that the FBI and the intelligence community had failed to provide adequate warnings that rioters planned to seize the Capitol and that the Pentagon was too slow to authorize guard troops to help overwhelmed police forces after the attack began.

In addition to Walker and Salesses, the officials who testified Wednesday were Melissa Smislova, a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and Jill Sanborn, the FBI’s assistant director of its counterterrorism division.

After the attack, law enforcement officials have been focusing on rioters who are members of militias and extremist groups as part of their investigation. Sanborn testified that few of the 257 rioters arrested so far were being investigated by the FBI before the attack.

“I can only recall from my memory one of the individuals that was under investigation prior,” she said.

The testimony came as the Capitol Police said they were increasing security this week on Capitol Hill, warning of “potential threats toward members of Congress or toward the Capitol complex.”

Testifying at a House hearing, Yogananda D. Pittman, the acting Capitol Police chief, told lawmakers that her agency had received “concerning” intelligence about possible threats against the Capitol for Thursday. But she said the information was law-enforcement sensitive and she would share it only in a closed briefing. She assured committee members that the police force would be ready.

Pittman noted that threats against lawmakers were “through the roof,” rising almost 94% the first two months of this year over 2020.

After Jan. 6, the Capitol Police leadership is asking for almost $620 million in total spending, an increase of nearly 21% over current levels to pay for new equipment, training and an additional 212 officers for assignments such as a permanent backup force. Pittman also told the lawmakers that she would be working with the architect of the Capitol to design more “physical hardening” of the building after it was overrun by the rioters.

Pentagon officials placed “unusual” restrictions on the D.C. National Guard before the Capitol riot, its commander told senators Wednesday, saying the military leaders’ fears of a repeat of aggressive tactics used during racial justice protests last year slowed decision-making and squandered time as the violence by a pro-Trump mob escalated.

Pentagon officials placed “unusual” restrictions on the D.C. National Guard before the Capitol riot, its commander told senators Wednesday, saying the military leaders’ fears of a repeat of aggressive tactics used during racial justice protests last year slowed decision-making and squandered time as the violence by a pro-Trump mob escalated. Military and federal security officials detailed in a joint Senate committee hearing the additional security breakdowns that led to the failure to quell the mob attack on Jan. 6. Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, the D.C. National Guard commander, said he did not receive approval to mobilize troops until more than three hours after he had requested it. The delay he outlined was longer than previously known and came to light in the latest hearing by lawmakers investigating the attack. Days before the riot, the Pentagon had removed Walker’s authority to quickly deploy his troops, he testified. He said he was unable to move troops even from one traffic stop to another without permission from Ryan D. McCarthy, the Army secretary. Once Walker had approval for deployment, the guard arrived at the Capitol only minutes later, at 5:20 p.m., and helped reestablish the security perimeter on the east side of the building. Walker said he could have had 150 troops to the complex hours earlier. The violent rampage that unfolded over nearly five hours caused injuries to nearly 140 police officers and left five people dead. “That number could have made a difference,” Walker said of the possibility of deploying his troops earlier. “Seconds mattered,” he added. “Minutes mattered.” In response to questions from senators, Walker said he believed that a double standard existed in the military decision-making, pointing out differences between the quick and aggressive tactics he was authorized to use during protests last spring and summer of police killings of Black men and the slower response to the violence of Trump supporters. He said military officials had expressed concerns about the optics of sending troops into the Capitol to subdue Americans. “The Army senior leaders did not think it looked good” and did not think “it would be a good optic,” Walker said. “The word I kept hearing was the ‘optics’ of it.” When asked whether a similar debate had played out last year, Walker said no. “It was never discussed the week of June,” he said. “It was never discussed July 4, when we were supporting the city. It was never discussed Aug. 28, when we supported the city.” “Did you think that was unusual?” asked Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the Democratic head of the Homeland Security Committee. “I did,” Walker said. The restrictions were put in place because of the widely criticized crackdown by the guard on mostly peaceful protesters in Washington in June, said Robert G. Salesses, a senior Defense Department official testifying at the hearing. He said that McCarthy and other military officials, including Christopher Miller, the acting defense secretary, delayed deciding whether to deploy forces on Jan. 6 because they wanted to know more about what the troops would be doing. They had assumed deployment authority over the D.C. National Guard to avoid a repeat of last year, Salesses said. “Secretary Miller wanted to make the decisions of how the National Guard was going to be employed on that day,” Salesses testified. Walker recounted how the day had unfolded as Trump supporters protesting congressional certification of the election results devolved into violence. He said he had received a “frantic call” at 1:49 p.m. from Steven A. Sund, then the chief of the Capitol Police, about half an hour before rioters breached the Capitol. “Chief Sund, his voice cracking with emotion, indicated that there was a dire emergency at the Capitol,” Walker testified. “He requested the immediate assistance of as many available National Guardsmen I could muster.” He said he had immediately alerted Army leaders and even put troops on buses “ready to move to the Capitol.” But Miller did not approve the request until 3:04 p.m., after military officials had expressed their concerns about optics. Walker did not receive word that Pentagon officials had authorized his request until 5:08 p.m. — three hours and 19 minutes after he had received Sund’s plea. “I keep thinking of the hours that went by, and the people who were injured and the officers whose lives were changed forever,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. and the chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee. “We must get to the bottom of why, that very day, it took the Defense Department so long to deploy the guard.” After hearing Walker’s testimony, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the top Republican on the committee, told reporters he wanted to hear from higher-ranking military officials. “Certainly we’ll have questions for Secretary McCarthy and for acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller,” Blunt said. “It’s definitely going to require an opportunity to ask them questions about their view from their perspective of why this decision-making process went so horribly wrong.” The testimony came at the latest bipartisan investigative hearing of the Homeland Security and Rules Committees. At a hearing last week, Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington testified that he was “stunned” at the slow deployment of the National Guard on Jan. 6, noting that even as the violence escalated, the Army had expressed reluctance to send troops. At that hearing, the first joint oversight meeting of the two committees, three former top Capitol security officials deflected responsibility for failures that contributed to the riot, blaming the other agencies, one another and at one point even a subordinate for the breakdowns that allowed hundreds of Trump supporters to storm the Capitol. The officials testified that the FBI and the intelligence community had failed to provide adequate warnings that rioters planned to seize the Capitol and that the Pentagon was too slow to authorize guard troops to help overwhelmed police forces after the attack began. In addition to Walker and Salesses, the officials who testified Wednesday were Melissa Smislova, a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and Jill Sanborn, the FBI’s assistant director of its counterterrorism division. After the attack, law enforcement officials have been focusing on rioters who are members of militias and extremist groups as part of their investigation. Sanborn testified that few of the 257 rioters arrested so far were being investigated by the FBI before the attack. “I can only recall from my memory one of the individuals that was under investigation prior,” she said. The testimony came as the Capitol Police said they were increasing security this week on Capitol Hill, warning of “potential threats toward members of Congress or toward the Capitol complex.” Testifying at a House hearing, Yogananda D. Pittman, the acting Capitol Police chief, told lawmakers that her agency had received “concerning” intelligence about possible threats against the Capitol for Thursday. But she said the information was law-enforcement sensitive and she would share it only in a closed briefing. She assured committee members that the police force would be ready. Pittman noted that threats against lawmakers were “through the roof,” rising almost 94% the first two months of this year over 2020. After Jan. 6, the Capitol Police leadership is asking for almost $620 million in total spending, an increase of nearly 21% over current levels to pay for new equipment, training and an additional 212 officers for assignments such as a permanent backup force. Pittman also told the lawmakers that she would be working with the architect of the Capitol to design more “physical hardening” of the building after it was overrun by the rioters.

Officials put ‘unusual’ limits on DC National Guard before riot, commander says

Jabir McKnight woke up on the morning of Jan. 6 with an uneasy feeling.

The day before had been great: He and another congressional staff member had celebrated Founders Day for their historically Black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi. But as McKnight walked that Wednesday to Capitol Hill, where he had always felt safe, images of white supremacist violence in Charleston, South Carolina, and Charlottesville, Virginia, began to race through his head.

Hours before the violent pro-Trump mob rampaged through the halls of Congress, leaving nearly 140 police officers injured and five people dead, McKnight recalled, he could not shake the sense that something very bad was about to happen.

“The writing was on the wall for this,” said McKnight, 23, who is the communications director for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.

He pointed to examples of right-wing violence in recent months and years. “For Black staffers, it’s a little bit different, because a lot of these attacks are directed toward our people,” he said. “We’ve seen these things happen over and over and over again. I don’t think we were blinded that people who are domestic terrorists would say, ‘Oh, it’s the Capitol, we’ll stop there.’”

Symbols of racism and white supremacy were on full display at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Rioters paraded the Confederate battle flag through the halls. One man wore a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt, others flew the flag of the fictional country Kekistan, which mimics a Nazi war flag.

Black Capitol Police officers have described the intense racism they endured from the mob; one told Buzzfeed News he was called a racist slur 15 times, causing him to break down in tears.

Only a small percentage of congressional aides are Black. Since the attack, McKnight and others who were in nearby offices in the Capitol complex that day have been talking among themselves about how close the violence came to them, what it means to experience such a virulent expression of racism in what is supposed to be a citadel of liberty, and the suspicion they now feel toward other aides, members of Congress and random people they encounter as they go about their business on Capitol Hill.

“It makes the trauma worse,” McKnight said. “Because as you’re walking around, you don’t know who could have been involved with what.”

For some Black staff members, the Capitol attack brought back memories of how they had tried to avoid people they felt could be prone to racist violence — only to find them at their place of work.

“This was the ugliest display of racism that I’ve seen ever. And I’m from the South,” says Remmington Belford, 30, the communications director for Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y. “There’s a specific demographic of people that you know conduct themselves that way, and you find your way away from them. Those people came to Capitol Hill. The people who believe in supremacy due to genetics were on Capitol Hill, and they were armed, and they were incensed.”

The staff members described feelings of fear about the physical threat and anger about the psychic damage done by the mob.

“I never though I’d see the Confederate flag walked through the halls of Congress,” said Mike McQuerry, 50, the communications director for Delegate Stacey Plaskett, D-Virgin Islands and an impeachment manager in the trial of former President Donald Trump. “As much as we think we’ve had progress, we haven’t progressed that much.”

McQuerry said that white rioters, using force and rage, gained access to parts of the Capitol that had always been off-limits to him, like Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office or the floor of the Senate.

“Those insurgents got to places where we as staffers couldn’t go,” he said, “places we wouldn’t even think about going.”

McKnight, Belford and McQuerry watched the worst of the violence from fortified offices in the Rayburn Building on the House side of the Capitol complex.

“The fear was very present,” Belford said, adding that he had planned two escape routes, including rushing through a window. “As far as close? They were steps away. Let’s be very clear. There’s no force that protects us in Rayburn” once the rioters breached the Capitol.

“We were fortified in our offices,” McKnight said. “You don’t know what’s on the other side of the door. You never knew what was on the other side. We were worried about any sound we heard. Are they here? Are they in the building? The only time you would have known is when it was too late. Everyone was terrified.”

As they watched the mayhem that day, the aides said, they feared for their lives, realizing that not only lawmakers could be attacked but so could they.

After the siege, congressional aides have reported trouble sleeping and feeling anxious, claustrophobic, angry and depressed. Lawmakers have requested additional resources to support the mental health needs of employees in response to surging demand.

“It was the first time I realized that post-traumatic stress syndrome is a thing,” said Belford, who is from Houston. “We as staffers are still dealing with the trauma.”

Despite what they experienced that day, McQuerry, who is from Detroit, said staff members felt an obligation to push on with work.

“There’s not that many of us that work up here,” he said of Black aides to members of Congress. “It’s affected us tremendously. We have to just push through. I think we deal with it every day. PTSD is really real.”

During the riot, some Democratic lawmakers said they thought they might be able to blend in with Republican members of Congress to avoid the violence. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., said recently on the House floor that he recognized his privilege when this thought occurred to him.

“Within moments, I realized that blending in was not an option available to our colleagues color,” he said. “So I’m here tonight to say to my brothers and sisters in Congress, and all around our country: I’m sorry. I’m sorry. For I had never understood, really understood, what privilege really means.”

Aides who represent members of color said they were well aware that Black lawmakers could be targeted because “our members are some of the most vocal against Trump’s harmful and divisive practices,” Belford said. “The fear was very present. We cannot blend in. We cannot not be visible. Our skin color often becomes a target.”

They were reminded this week of the threats to lawmakers when a top security official suggested on Tuesday that members of Congress consider upgrading their home security systems to include panic buttons and key fobs. In a lengthy memo sent to House lawmakers and their aides, Timothy Blodgett, the acting sergeant-at-arms, reiterated measures that he advised lawmakers to take to protect their Washington and district offices as well as their homes.

The guidance — which encouraged refraining from posting about lawmakers’ appearances at events until after they have “safely left,” using special hoods to reduce exposure to “harmful materials” sent by mail and installing panic buttons in lawmakers’ homes — starkly illustrated the continuing shock waves after the Jan. 6 attack.

Lawmakers have received briefings on a handful of specific active threats to the Capitol and to members after the attack, and court documents have detailed plans by individuals in the pro-Trump mob to kill specific members of Congress.

One man threatened to put “a bullet” in Pelosi’s head “on Live TV,”; another threatened to assassinate Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., that day, according to federal prosecutors.

McKnight, who is from Philadelphia, said he had spoken with colleagues who felt shocked after moving to Washington.

“So where can you go?” McKnight said. “You just moved to D.C. to work in politics and be in a safe environment, and now that’s changed.”

As traumatizing as the riot was, the staff members said they had also received an outpouring of support.

During the attack, Plaskett posted on Twitter a photograph of her staff, including McQuerry, telling the public they were safe. McQuerry said he received a flood of texts containing messages such as “I love you” and “be safe.”

McKnight said he was also inundated with support from friends, family and acquaintances.

“We could have lost our lives,” he said. “Not only were people watching, but people cared.”

Jabir McKnight woke up on the morning of Jan. 6 with an uneasy feeling. The day before had been great: He and another congressional staff member had celebrated Founders Day for their historically Black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi.

Jabir McKnight woke up on the morning of Jan. 6 with an uneasy feeling. The day before had been great: He and another congressional staff member had celebrated Founders Day for their historically Black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi. But as McKnight walked that Wednesday to Capitol Hill, where he had always felt safe, images of white supremacist violence in Charleston, South Carolina, and Charlottesville, Virginia, began to race through his head. Hours before the violent pro-Trump mob rampaged through the halls of Congress, leaving nearly 140 police officers injured and five people dead, McKnight recalled, he could not shake the sense that something very bad was about to happen. “The writing was on the wall for this,” said McKnight, 23, who is the communications director for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. He pointed to examples of right-wing violence in recent months and years. “For Black staffers, it’s a little bit different, because a lot of these attacks are directed toward our people,” he said. “We’ve seen these things happen over and over and over again. I don’t think we were blinded that people who are domestic terrorists would say, ‘Oh, it’s the Capitol, we’ll stop there.’” Symbols of racism and white supremacy were on full display at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Rioters paraded the Confederate battle flag through the halls. One man wore a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt, others flew the flag of the fictional country Kekistan, which mimics a Nazi war flag. Black Capitol Police officers have described the intense racism they endured from the mob; one told Buzzfeed News he was called a racist slur 15 times, causing him to break down in tears. Only a small percentage of congressional aides are Black. Since the attack, McKnight and others who were in nearby offices in the Capitol complex that day have been talking among themselves about how close the violence came to them, what it means to experience such a virulent expression of racism in what is supposed to be a citadel of liberty, and the suspicion they now feel toward other aides, members of Congress and random people they encounter as they go about their business on Capitol Hill. “It makes the trauma worse,” McKnight said. “Because as you’re walking around, you don’t know who could have been involved with what.” For some Black staff members, the Capitol attack brought back memories of how they had tried to avoid people they felt could be prone to racist violence — only to find them at their place of work. “This was the ugliest display of racism that I’ve seen ever. And I’m from the South,” says Remmington Belford, 30, the communications director for Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y. “There’s a specific demographic of people that you know conduct themselves that way, and you find your way away from them. Those people came to Capitol Hill. The people who believe in supremacy due to genetics were on Capitol Hill, and they were armed, and they were incensed.” The staff members described feelings of fear about the physical threat and anger about the psychic damage done by the mob. “I never though I’d see the Confederate flag walked through the halls of Congress,” said Mike McQuerry, 50, the communications director for Delegate Stacey Plaskett, D-Virgin Islands and an impeachment manager in the trial of former President Donald Trump. “As much as we think we’ve had progress, we haven’t progressed that much.” McQuerry said that white rioters, using force and rage, gained access to parts of the Capitol that had always been off-limits to him, like Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office or the floor of the Senate. “Those insurgents got to places where we as staffers couldn’t go,” he said, “places we wouldn’t even think about going.” McKnight, Belford and McQuerry watched the worst of the violence from fortified offices in the Rayburn Building on the House side of the Capitol complex. “The fear was very present,” Belford said, adding that he had planned two escape routes, including rushing through a window. “As far as close? They were steps away. Let’s be very clear. There’s no force that protects us in Rayburn” once the rioters breached the Capitol. “We were fortified in our offices,” McKnight said. “You don’t know what’s on the other side of the door. You never knew what was on the other side. We were worried about any sound we heard. Are they here? Are they in the building? The only time you would have known is when it was too late. Everyone was terrified.” As they watched the mayhem that day, the aides said, they feared for their lives, realizing that not only lawmakers could be attacked but so could they. After the siege, congressional aides have reported trouble sleeping and feeling anxious, claustrophobic, angry and depressed. Lawmakers have requested additional resources to support the mental health needs of employees in response to surging demand. “It was the first time I realized that post-traumatic stress syndrome is a thing,” said Belford, who is from Houston. “We as staffers are still dealing with the trauma.” Despite what they experienced that day, McQuerry, who is from Detroit, said staff members felt an obligation to push on with work. “There’s not that many of us that work up here,” he said of Black aides to members of Congress. “It’s affected us tremendously. We have to just push through. I think we deal with it every day. PTSD is really real.” During the riot, some Democratic lawmakers said they thought they might be able to blend in with Republican members of Congress to avoid the violence. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., said recently on the House floor that he recognized his privilege when this thought occurred to him. “Within moments, I realized that blending in was not an option available to our colleagues color,” he said. “So I’m here tonight to say to my brothers and sisters in Congress, and all around our country: I’m sorry. I’m sorry. For I had never understood, really understood, what privilege really means.” Aides who represent members of color said they were well aware that Black lawmakers could be targeted because “our members are some of the most vocal against Trump’s harmful and divisive practices,” Belford said. “The fear was very present. We cannot blend in. We cannot not be visible. Our skin color often becomes a target.” They were reminded this week of the threats to lawmakers when a top security official suggested on Tuesday that members of Congress consider upgrading their home security systems to include panic buttons and key fobs. In a lengthy memo sent to House lawmakers and their aides, Timothy Blodgett, the acting sergeant-at-arms, reiterated measures that he advised lawmakers to take to protect their Washington and district offices as well as their homes. The guidance — which encouraged refraining from posting about lawmakers’ appearances at events until after they have “safely left,” using special hoods to reduce exposure to “harmful materials” sent by mail and installing panic buttons in lawmakers’ homes — starkly illustrated the continuing shock waves after the Jan. 6 attack. Lawmakers have received briefings on a handful of specific active threats to the Capitol and to members after the attack, and court documents have detailed plans by individuals in the pro-Trump mob to kill specific members of Congress. One man threatened to put “a bullet” in Pelosi’s head “on Live TV,”; another threatened to assassinate Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., that day, according to federal prosecutors. McKnight, who is from Philadelphia, said he had spoken with colleagues who felt shocked after moving to Washington. “So where can you go?” McKnight said. “You just moved to D.C. to work in politics and be in a safe environment, and now that’s changed.” As traumatizing as the riot was, the staff members said they had also received an outpouring of support. During the attack, Plaskett posted on Twitter a photograph of her staff, including McQuerry, telling the public they were safe. McQuerry said he received a flood of texts containing messages such as “I love you” and “be safe.” McKnight said he was also inundated with support from friends, family and acquaintances. “We could have lost our lives,” he said. “Not only were people watching, but people cared.”

For black aides on Capitol Hill, Jan. 6 brought particular trauma

The impeachment trial of former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>on Wednesday was focussed around chilling footage of lawmakers running for their lives as rioters rampaged through the halls of the Congress.&nbsp;

Hours of video footage from security cameras, police bodycams was shown of the day when the Congress was to certify <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden's </a>election victory.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-in-senate-democrats-show-unseen-videos-of-attack-on-the-capitol-hill-362757/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The mob was seen violently searching for then-Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-trump-ban-permanent-no-matter-if-he-runs-for-president-again-362782">Twitter: Trump ban permanent, no matter if he runs for president again</a>

Pence, who was in the Capitol to preside over the certification of Biden's win, was also seen in the video being hurried down to safety by the security personnel, along with his family.&nbsp;

Chants of "hang Mike Pence" can also be heard in the footage.&nbsp;

Top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is also seen narrowly avoiding the pro-Trump mob.&nbsp;

Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who has often opposed Trump, is being taken by an officer to safety moments before an angry group of rioters entered.&nbsp;

In another segment, rioters were seen vandalising the office of Pelosi and shouting, "Nancy, where are you Nancy?".&nbsp;

"We know from the rioters themselves that if they had found Speaker Pelosi, they would have killed her," impeachment manager Stacey Plaskett, a House delegate from the US Virgin Islands said.&nbsp;

"The vice president, the speaker of the house -- the first and second in line to the presidency -- were... put in danger because president Trump put his own desires, his own need for power, over his duty to the constitution and our democratic process," he added.&nbsp;

Lead impeachment manager Jamie Raskin said Trump "surrendered" his role as the commander-in-chief and became the "inciter-in-chief of a dangerous insurrection".

 
&nbsp;

The impeachment trial of former US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was focussed around chilling footage of lawmakers running for their lives as rioters rampaged through the halls of the Congress.

The impeachment trial of former US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was focussed around chilling footage of lawmakers running for their lives as rioters rampaged through the halls of the Congress. Hours of video footage from security cameras, police bodycams was shown of the day when the Congress was to certify Joe Biden's election victory. Watch | The mob was seen violently searching for then-Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Also read | Twitter: Trump ban permanent, no matter if he runs for president again Pence, who was in the Capitol to preside over the certification of Biden's win, was also seen in the video being hurried down to safety by the security personnel, along with his family. Chants of "hang Mike Pence" can also be heard in the footage. Top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is also seen narrowly avoiding the pro-Trump mob. Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who has often opposed Trump, is being taken by an officer to safety moments before an angry group of rioters entered. In another segment, rioters were seen vandalising the office of Pelosi and shouting, "Nancy, where are you Nancy?". "We know from the rioters themselves that if they had found Speaker Pelosi, they would have killed her," impeachment manager Stacey Plaskett, a House delegate from the US Virgin Islands said. "The vice president, the speaker of the house -- the first and second in line to the presidency -- were... put in danger because president Trump put his own desires, his own need for power, over his duty to the constitution and our democratic process," he added. Lead impeachment manager Jamie Raskin said Trump "surrendered" his role as the commander-in-chief and became the "inciter-in-chief of a dangerous insurrection".

Trump impeachment trial: Disturbing footage of Capitol Hill violence shown

As 34-year-old Rosanne Boyland lay dying on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6 after being crushed by a mob, fellow rioters were charging over her to attack police officers with crutches, a hockey stick and pepper spray, new police body camera footage shows.

Video obtained by The Times provides a previously unpublished view of the brutal fight between rioters and officers at a central entryway on the west side of the Capitol — the same one that President Joe Biden used to descend to his inauguration ceremony two weeks later.

The footage shows how rioters, in their effort to attack the police, trampled on Boyland even as her friend, Justin Winchell, shouted that she was dying and needed help.

Federal prosecutors in Detroit played the video at a Jan. 25 court hearing in the case of Michael Joseph Foy, a Michigan man accused of attacking the officers with a hockey stick. The U.S. attorney’s office in Detroit provided the 1-minute, 20-second clip to The Times.

The footage appears to come from the body camera worn by one of four Metropolitan Police officers dragged out of the doorway and beaten by rioters during the hourslong battle. It begins at 4:26 p.m., just as officers have managed to push the mob out of the doorway. Inside, rioters had packed together in a dangerous crush in their attempt to force their way through the police and into the Capitol.

Seconds into the video, as rioters tumble over one another, a voice can be heard shouting, “Save her!”

As rioters fall out of the doorway, Boyland is briefly visible in the video, and Winchell begins to scream, “She’s gonna die! She’s dead!”

“I need somebody!” Winchell shouts, turning to the crowd. Instead, a rioter behind him sprays a chemical irritant over his head toward the police.

A bearded rioter wearing a hat, brown jacket and University of Michigan sweatshirt then begins to move up the stairs toward the police.

“Knock their masks off!” another rioter in a cowboy hat tells him.

The bearded rioter charges over Boyland and begins to grapple with the officer, grabbing his baton. At the same time, another rioter jabs the officer with a crutch. The officer is driven to the ground as the crowd cheers the attack.

A man in a hooded winter jacket, whom prosecutors say is Foy, is seen on the body camera footage advancing with his hockey stick and repeatedly swinging it down at the officers. Prosecutors allege in court documents that Foy, a former Marine, struck officers at least 10 times in 16 seconds.

“No! No!” Winchell screams, as the rioters swing at the police over Boyland’s body.

“I’ll kill you,” a rioter says to an officer, using an expletive, before grabbing the officer by his helmet and dragging him out of the doorway.

Winchell can again be heard screaming “Rosanne! Rosanne!”

After the first officer is dragged away, another rioter can be seen grabbing onto the leg of the fallen officer wearing the body camera. Then the footage ends. Other videos reviewed by The Times showed that rioters dragged the officer down the steps seconds later.

At around the same time, rioters dragged Boyland from the door and attempted but failed to resuscitate her. They then carried her back to the police battling rioters at the doorway, who moved her into the Capitol Rotunda, where paramedics eventually reached her. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 6:09 p.m., about 90 minutes later.

Foy faces multiple federal charges, including assaulting a police officer, and has been transferred from Detroit to Washington to face prosecution.

The official cause and manner of Boyland’s death are still pending, according to Washington’s chief medical examiner.

As 34-year-old Rosanne Boyland lay dying on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6 after being crushed by a mob, fellow rioters were charging over her to attack police officers with crutches, a hockey stick and pepper spray, new police body camera footage shows.

As 34-year-old Rosanne Boyland lay dying on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6 after being crushed by a mob, fellow rioters were charging over her to attack police officers with crutches, a hockey stick and pepper spray, new police body camera footage shows. Video obtained by The Times provides a previously unpublished view of the brutal fight between rioters and officers at a central entryway on the west side of the Capitol — the same one that President Joe Biden used to descend to his inauguration ceremony two weeks later. The footage shows how rioters, in their effort to attack the police, trampled on Boyland even as her friend, Justin Winchell, shouted that she was dying and needed help. Federal prosecutors in Detroit played the video at a Jan. 25 court hearing in the case of Michael Joseph Foy, a Michigan man accused of attacking the officers with a hockey stick. The U.S. attorney’s office in Detroit provided the 1-minute, 20-second clip to The Times. The footage appears to come from the body camera worn by one of four Metropolitan Police officers dragged out of the doorway and beaten by rioters during the hourslong battle. It begins at 4:26 p.m., just as officers have managed to push the mob out of the doorway. Inside, rioters had packed together in a dangerous crush in their attempt to force their way through the police and into the Capitol. Seconds into the video, as rioters tumble over one another, a voice can be heard shouting, “Save her!” As rioters fall out of the doorway, Boyland is briefly visible in the video, and Winchell begins to scream, “She’s gonna die! She’s dead!” “I need somebody!” Winchell shouts, turning to the crowd. Instead, a rioter behind him sprays a chemical irritant over his head toward the police. A bearded rioter wearing a hat, brown jacket and University of Michigan sweatshirt then begins to move up the stairs toward the police. “Knock their masks off!” another rioter in a cowboy hat tells him. The bearded rioter charges over Boyland and begins to grapple with the officer, grabbing his baton. At the same time, another rioter jabs the officer with a crutch. The officer is driven to the ground as the crowd cheers the attack. A man in a hooded winter jacket, whom prosecutors say is Foy, is seen on the body camera footage advancing with his hockey stick and repeatedly swinging it down at the officers. Prosecutors allege in court documents that Foy, a former Marine, struck officers at least 10 times in 16 seconds. “No! No!” Winchell screams, as the rioters swing at the police over Boyland’s body. “I’ll kill you,” a rioter says to an officer, using an expletive, before grabbing the officer by his helmet and dragging him out of the doorway. Winchell can again be heard screaming “Rosanne! Rosanne!” After the first officer is dragged away, another rioter can be seen grabbing onto the leg of the fallen officer wearing the body camera. Then the footage ends. Other videos reviewed by The Times showed that rioters dragged the officer down the steps seconds later. At around the same time, rioters dragged Boyland from the door and attempted but failed to resuscitate her. They then carried her back to the police battling rioters at the doorway, who moved her into the Capitol Rotunda, where paramedics eventually reached her. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 6:09 p.m., about 90 minutes later. Foy faces multiple federal charges, including assaulting a police officer, and has been transferred from Detroit to Washington to face prosecution. The official cause and manner of Boyland’s death are still pending, according to Washington’s chief medical examiner.

Body camera footage shows Capitol rioters trampling over woman

American carnage: Rise and fall of Trump in Washington

Anthime Joseph Gionet, a far-right media personality nicknamed “Baked Alaska” who is known for livestreaming himself participating in illegal activity, was arrested by the FBI on Friday and accused of illegally storming the Capitol during the attack on the building by President Donald Trump’s supporters last week.

Gionet, who has been banned from Twitter and YouTube for his content, livestreamed himself in the mob on DLive, a streaming service becoming more popular after a mass exodus of right-wing figures from more mainstream platforms. He posted a video that showed supporters of Trump taking selfies with officers in the Capitol who calmly asked them to leave the premises. The video showed the Trump supporters talking among themselves, laughing, and telling the officers and each other: “This is only the beginning.”

Gionet was arrested in Houston on Friday, according to the Justice Department’s website, and charged with two federal crimes. In a court filing, Nicole Miller, an FBI agent, said Gionet had recorded a 27-minute video in which he appeared to chant, “Patriots are in control,” and said, “We are in the Capitol building, 1776 will commence again.”

Authorities on Saturday also arrested Lisa Marie Eisenhart, the mother of Eric Gavelek Munchel, the man pictured holding zip ties in the Capitol during the riot. Jack Jesse Griffith, another person arrested Saturday, was identified through an Instagram video posted by someone else at the riot, according to documents. Both were arrested in Tennessee.

More than 70 arrests have been made in relation to the riots, and at least 170 cases have been opened. Many of the mob participants have been easily identified through their social media posts.

Emily Hernandez, a woman photographed with part of the wooden name plate torn from the entrance to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, was charged in federal court Friday.

Hernandez was seen in numerous videos and photographs holding Pelosi’s splintered nameplate like a prized keepsake. According to documents from the FBI, the agency received tips about Hernandez from her friends and acquaintances after she posted pictures and videos of herself parading around with the nameplate on Facebook and Snapchat. One tipster recognized her from a widely circulated video by ITV News, which is based in Britain.

Jenna Ryan, a real estate broker from Frisco, Texas, who took a private plane to Washington to participate in the mob, was also charged Friday. She was easily identified after she posted about her participation in various ways, including by posting a picture to her Twitter account that showed her standing in front of a broken window at the Capitol with the caption, “Window at The capital.”

Then, just before she entered, she turned to the camera and said: “Y’all know who to hire for your realtor. Jenna Ryan for your realtor.”

Anthime Joseph Gionet, a far-right media personality nicknamed “Baked Alaska” who is known for livestreaming himself participating in illegal activity, was arrested by the FBI on Friday and accused of illegally storming the Capitol during the attack on the building by President Donald Trump’s supporters last week.

Anthime Joseph Gionet, a far-right media personality nicknamed “Baked Alaska” who is known for livestreaming himself participating in illegal activity, was arrested by the FBI on Friday and accused of illegally storming the Capitol during the attack on the building by President Donald Trump’s supporters last week. Gionet, who has been banned from Twitter and YouTube for his content, livestreamed himself in the mob on DLive, a streaming service becoming more popular after a mass exodus of right-wing figures from more mainstream platforms. He posted a video that showed supporters of Trump taking selfies with officers in the Capitol who calmly asked them to leave the premises. The video showed the Trump supporters talking among themselves, laughing, and telling the officers and each other: “This is only the beginning.” Gionet was arrested in Houston on Friday, according to the Justice Department’s website, and charged with two federal crimes. In a court filing, Nicole Miller, an FBI agent, said Gionet had recorded a 27-minute video in which he appeared to chant, “Patriots are in control,” and said, “We are in the Capitol building, 1776 will commence again.” Authorities on Saturday also arrested Lisa Marie Eisenhart, the mother of Eric Gavelek Munchel, the man pictured holding zip ties in the Capitol during the riot. Jack Jesse Griffith, another person arrested Saturday, was identified through an Instagram video posted by someone else at the riot, according to documents. Both were arrested in Tennessee. More than 70 arrests have been made in relation to the riots, and at least 170 cases have been opened. Many of the mob participants have been easily identified through their social media posts. Emily Hernandez, a woman photographed with part of the wooden name plate torn from the entrance to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, was charged in federal court Friday. Hernandez was seen in numerous videos and photographs holding Pelosi’s splintered nameplate like a prized keepsake. According to documents from the FBI, the agency received tips about Hernandez from her friends and acquaintances after she posted pictures and videos of herself parading around with the nameplate on Facebook and Snapchat. One tipster recognized her from a widely circulated video by ITV News, which is based in Britain. Jenna Ryan, a real estate broker from Frisco, Texas, who took a private plane to Washington to participate in the mob, was also charged Friday. She was easily identified after she posted about her participation in various ways, including by posting a picture to her Twitter account that showed her standing in front of a broken window at the Capitol with the caption, “Window at The capital.” Then, just before she entered, she turned to the camera and said: “Y’all know who to hire for your realtor. Jenna Ryan for your realtor.”

Far-right activist ‘Baked Alaska’ among latest Capitol rioters arrested

President-elect Joe Biden has slammed Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks while huddling in a secure location during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol despite the threat of coronavirus, telling them that "it's time to grow up".

At least four members of US Congress -- including Democratic leaders Pramila Jayapal, Brad Schneider and Bonnie Watson Coleman -- have tested positive for COVID-19 since the Capitol attack by Trump's supporters which left five people dead.

"Quite frankly, it was shocking to see members of the Congress while the Capitol was under siege by a deadly mob of thugs refusing to wear a mask while they were in secure locations," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware on Friday.

"I'm so proud of my congresswoman, right here in the state of Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester, trying to hand out masks while people are lying on the floor huddled up, and her Republican colleagues were refusing to put them on.

What the hell is the matter with you? It's time to grow up," he said.

"The result? At least four members of Congress today, including a cancer survivor, now have COVID-19 who were in those rooms," Biden said Congresswoman Coleman, who recently tested COVID-19 positive, is a 75-year-old cancer survivor.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has imposed fines this week on members who refuse to wear masks on the House floor, with a USD 500 penalty for a first offence and USD 2,500 for a second offence.

Biden said wearing a mask is not a political, but a lifesaving issue.

"For God's sake, wear a mask if not for yourself, for your loved ones, for your country. These are real matters of life and death. We need you to stick with the handwashing, social distancing, and avoid indoor gatherings with people outside your own household," he said.

"I hope we now know this is not a political issue. This is about saving lives. I know it's become a partisan issue, but what a stupid, stupid thing for it to happen. This is a patriotic act. We are asking you, we're in a war with this virus, and experts saying--have shown that wearing a mask from now until April will save as many as 50,000 lives," the Democratic leader said.

US is the worst-hit nation in the world with over 23,530,460 coronavirus cases and more than 392,100 deaths due to the disease.

Biden reiterated his plans to call on all Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office.

"The day we're inaugurated, we're going to ask you to mask up for the next 100 days.

This is not a political issue.

And I will issue an executive order to require a mask where I have the authority to do that, in federal worker--for federal workers on federal property, on interstate travel by train and planes," he said.

"We'll also be working with mayors and governors in red states and blue states and require mask--and ask them to require masking up in their cities and their states," he said.

The coronavirus pandemic, Biden said, can't solve US' problems as a divided nation.

"The only way we come through this is if we come through together as Americans, fellow Americans, as the United States of America.

Vice President-elect Harris and I ran on that vision.

And starting at noon on Wednesday, that's exactly how we're going to govern and ask for your help," he said.

President-elect Joe Biden has slammed Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks while huddling in a secure location during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol despite the threat of coronavirus, telling them that "it's time to grow up".

President-elect Joe Biden has slammed Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks while huddling in a secure location during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol despite the threat of coronavirus, telling them that "it's time to grow up". At least four members of US Congress -- including Democratic leaders Pramila Jayapal, Brad Schneider and Bonnie Watson Coleman -- have tested positive for COVID-19 since the Capitol attack by Trump's supporters which left five people dead. "Quite frankly, it was shocking to see members of the Congress while the Capitol was under siege by a deadly mob of thugs refusing to wear a mask while they were in secure locations," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware on Friday. "I'm so proud of my congresswoman, right here in the state of Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester, trying to hand out masks while people are lying on the floor huddled up, and her Republican colleagues were refusing to put them on. What the hell is the matter with you? It's time to grow up," he said. "The result? At least four members of Congress today, including a cancer survivor, now have COVID-19 who were in those rooms," Biden said Congresswoman Coleman, who recently tested COVID-19 positive, is a 75-year-old cancer survivor. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has imposed fines this week on members who refuse to wear masks on the House floor, with a USD 500 penalty for a first offence and USD 2,500 for a second offence. Biden said wearing a mask is not a political, but a lifesaving issue. "For God's sake, wear a mask if not for yourself, for your loved ones, for your country. These are real matters of life and death. We need you to stick with the handwashing, social distancing, and avoid indoor gatherings with people outside your own household," he said. "I hope we now know this is not a political issue. This is about saving lives. I know it's become a partisan issue, but what a stupid, stupid thing for it to happen. This is a patriotic act. We are asking you, we're in a war with this virus, and experts saying--have shown that wearing a mask from now until April will save as many as 50,000 lives," the Democratic leader said. US is the worst-hit nation in the world with over 23,530,460 coronavirus cases and more than 392,100 deaths due to the disease. Biden reiterated his plans to call on all Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office. "The day we're inaugurated, we're going to ask you to mask up for the next 100 days. This is not a political issue. And I will issue an executive order to require a mask where I have the authority to do that, in federal worker--for federal workers on federal property, on interstate travel by train and planes," he said. "We'll also be working with mayors and governors in red states and blue states and require mask--and ask them to require masking up in their cities and their states," he said. The coronavirus pandemic, Biden said, can't solve US' problems as a divided nation. "The only way we come through this is if we come through together as Americans, fellow Americans, as the United States of America. Vice President-elect Harris and I ran on that vision. And starting at noon on Wednesday, that's exactly how we're going to govern and ask for your help," he said.

Biden slams Republican lawmakers for not wearing masks during Capitol Hill attack