The House Select Committee investigating the last year’s insurrection on the US Capitol has issued subpoenas to three White House officials who worked closely with former President Donald Trump.

Congressman Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, issued subpoenas to Ross Worthington, former advisor of Trump, Andy Surabian and Arthur Schwartz—Donald Trump Jr.’s aides— the House Select Committee said in a statement.

Worthington had helped draft the former president's speech for a rally before Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

“The committee is demanding records and testimony from three witnesses involved in planning and preparations for the January 6th rally at the Ellipse, which immediately preceded the violent attack on the Capitol,” the statement said.

The subpoenas have been issued to inquire whether the former president’s speech hinted at White House’s prior knowledge of plans to attack the Capitol.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/did-the-simpsons-forecast-us-capitol-riots-more-predictions-inside-278321">Did The Simpsons forecast US Capitol riots? More predictions inside!</a>

In that rally at the Ellipse park area near the White House, Trump told his supporters he would never concede the November 2020 presidential election.

“We have reason to believe the individuals we've subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to join the more than 340 individuals who have spoken with the Select Committee,” the panel said.

Hundreds of Trump supporters had stormed to the Capitol in January 2021 to stop the US Congress from certifying his loss to Joe Biden after he falsely claimed that he lost due to electoral fraud.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-hill-violence-investigation-committee-issues-subpoenas-to-top-trump-lieutenants-427861">Capitol Hill violence: Investigation committee issues subpoenas to top Trump lieutenants</a>

Four people died in the hours-long chaos after Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell.”

One police officer died that day after battling rioters, and four police officers later died by suicide.

Around 140 police officers were injured. US prosecutors have brought criminal charges against at least 725 people linked to the riot.

(With inputs from agencies)

The House Select Committee investigating the last year’s insurrection on the US Capitol has issued subpoenas to three White House officials who worked closely with former President Donald Trump.

The House Select Committee investigating the last year’s insurrection on the US Capitol has issued subpoenas to three White House officials who worked closely with former President Donald Trump. Congressman Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, issued subpoenas to Ross Worthington, former advisor of Trump, Andy Surabian and Arthur Schwartz—Donald Trump Jr.’s aides— the House Select Committee said in a statement. Worthington had helped draft the former president's speech for a rally before Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. “The committee is demanding records and testimony from three witnesses involved in planning and preparations for the January 6th rally at the Ellipse, which immediately preceded the violent attack on the Capitol,” the statement said. The subpoenas have been issued to inquire whether the former president’s speech hinted at White House’s prior knowledge of plans to attack the Capitol. Also read | Did The Simpsons forecast US Capitol riots? More predictions inside! In that rally at the Ellipse park area near the White House, Trump told his supporters he would never concede the November 2020 presidential election. “We have reason to believe the individuals we've subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to join the more than 340 individuals who have spoken with the Select Committee,” the panel said. Hundreds of Trump supporters had stormed to the Capitol in January 2021 to stop the US Congress from certifying his loss to Joe Biden after he falsely claimed that he lost due to electoral fraud. Also read | Capitol Hill violence: Investigation committee issues subpoenas to top Trump lieutenants Four people died in the hours-long chaos after Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” One police officer died that day after battling rioters, and four police officers later died by suicide. Around 140 police officers were injured. US prosecutors have brought criminal charges against at least 725 people linked to the riot. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump’s former aide, 2 Republican strategists receive subpoenas from Capitol attack probe committee

Social networking giant Twitter quickly deleted new tweets from US&nbsp;President Donald Trump from an official government account after the social media site had banned his personal account.

"After a close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account," Twitter said in a <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2020/suspension.html">blog post</a> explaining its decision, "we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence."&nbsp;

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-tear-gas-explosives-and-gunfire-trump-supporters-storm-capitol-clash-with-police-354961">In pics-Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police</a>

US President Donald Trump on Friday accused Twitter of conspiring with his political enemies "to silence me," after the social media platform permanently suspended his account.

"Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and the Radical Left in removing my account from their platform, to silence me -- and YOU, the 75,000,000 great patriots who voted for me," he said in a series of tweets from the official @POTUS account.

Twitter had&nbsp;temporarily blocked Trump's account on Wednesday,&nbsp;following the siege of Capitol Hill by pro-Trump protesters, and warned that additional violations by the president's accounts would result in a permanent suspension.

The social media platform was&nbsp;Trump's&nbsp;favourite megaphone and he has&nbsp;had more than 88 million followers.

Trump returned to Twitter late Thursday, posting a video message that seemed aimed at calming tensions after the mayhem caused by his supporters.

He acknowledged his presidency was ending and promised a smooth transition to Joe Biden, although he did not go so far as to congratulate or even say the name of his successor.

Twitter said at the time it was continuing to watch Trump's social media activity to determine whether further action was needed.

The decision to suspend Trump's account came after a pair of tweets on Friday, according to the one-to-many messaging platform.

In one of the tweets, Trump vowed that none of his supporters would be "disrespected," and in another, he said he would not be attending Biden's inauguration on January 20, as is customary.

"These two Tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country and the ways in which the President's statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behaviour from this account in recent weeks," Twitter said.

The company determined the tweets violated its "Glorification of Violence&nbsp;Policy," and that "user @realDonaldTrump&nbsp;should be immediately permanently suspended from the service."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel">YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel</a>

Talk of new attack&nbsp;

Twitter said it also factored in that plans for more armed protests have been proliferating on and off the service, including a proposed second attack on the US Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17.

Trump's tweeted statement about not attending the Inauguration has been received by some supporters as his continued rejection of the election's legitimacy and a sign that the event would be a "safe target" since he won't be there, according to Twitter.

The wording in Trump's Friday tweets was seen by some supporters as praise for those involved in what has been described as a coup attempt, and an indication he does not plan to smoothly yield power to Biden, Twitter said in the post.

Twitter confirmed that several hundred employees signed a letter to chief executive Jack Dorsey saying they were disturbed by the "insurrection" carried out by Trump supporters, who had been rallied by the president.

The employees called for Twitter to assess the role its platform played in Wednesday's events.

"Twitter encourages an open dialogue between our leadership and employees, and we welcome our employees to express their thoughts and concerns in whichever manner feels right to them," a company spokesperson said of the letter.

Social networking giant Twitter quickly deleted new tweets from US President Donald Trump from an official government account after the social media site had banned his personal account.

Social networking giant Twitter quickly deleted new tweets from US President Donald Trump from an official government account after the social media site had banned his personal account. "After a close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account," Twitter said in a blog post explaining its decision, "we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence." Also see: In pics-Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police US President Donald Trump on Friday accused Twitter of conspiring with his political enemies "to silence me," after the social media platform permanently suspended his account. "Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and the Radical Left in removing my account from their platform, to silence me -- and YOU, the 75,000,000 great patriots who voted for me," he said in a series of tweets from the official @POTUS account. Twitter had temporarily blocked Trump's account on Wednesday, following the siege of Capitol Hill by pro-Trump protesters, and warned that additional violations by the president's accounts would result in a permanent suspension. The social media platform was Trump's favourite megaphone and he has had more than 88 million followers. Trump returned to Twitter late Thursday, posting a video message that seemed aimed at calming tensions after the mayhem caused by his supporters. He acknowledged his presidency was ending and promised a smooth transition to Joe Biden, although he did not go so far as to congratulate or even say the name of his successor. Twitter said at the time it was continuing to watch Trump's social media activity to determine whether further action was needed. The decision to suspend Trump's account came after a pair of tweets on Friday, according to the one-to-many messaging platform. In one of the tweets, Trump vowed that none of his supporters would be "disrespected," and in another, he said he would not be attending Biden's inauguration on January 20, as is customary. "These two Tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country and the ways in which the President's statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behaviour from this account in recent weeks," Twitter said. The company determined the tweets violated its "Glorification of Violence Policy," and that "user @realDonaldTrump should be immediately permanently suspended from the service." Also read: YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel Talk of new attack Twitter said it also factored in that plans for more armed protests have been proliferating on and off the service, including a proposed second attack on the US Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17. Trump's tweeted statement about not attending the Inauguration has been received by some supporters as his continued rejection of the election's legitimacy and a sign that the event would be a "safe target" since he won't be there, according to Twitter. The wording in Trump's Friday tweets was seen by some supporters as praise for those involved in what has been described as a coup attempt, and an indication he does not plan to smoothly yield power to Biden, Twitter said in the post. Twitter confirmed that several hundred employees signed a letter to chief executive Jack Dorsey saying they were disturbed by the "insurrection" carried out by Trump supporters, who had been rallied by the president. The employees called for Twitter to assess the role its platform played in Wednesday's events. "Twitter encourages an open dialogue between our leadership and employees, and we welcome our employees to express their thoughts and concerns in whichever manner feels right to them," a company spokesperson said of the letter.

Twitter permanently suspends Trump's account, deletes POTUS' new tweets

White House advisor and President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka is facing criticism for calling pro-Trump rioters that stormed the US Capitol as ''patriots'' on social networking platform Twitter.

Taking to Twitter, Ivanka addressed the angry Trump supporters in a tweet saying&nbsp;''American Patriots-any security breach or disrespect to our law enforcement is unacceptable. The violence is unacceptable. Please be respectful.''

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Ivanka did not ask Trump supporters&nbsp;to abandon their demonstration at the US Capitol building. When questioned upon the use of the term ''patriots'' she justified her choice of words.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No. Peaceful protest is patriotic. Violence is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. <a href="https://t.co/GwngZTqzTH">https://t.co/GwngZTqzTH</a>
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1346916905093894144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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We were always told that <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IvankaTrump</a> was going to be the “voice of reason” for her father. Instead, she’s just as complicit. 
 
You can delete the tweet, but you calling rioters “American Patriots” will live on! <a href="https://t.co/0G8SGvH4fE">pic.twitter.com/0G8SGvH4fE</a>
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) <a href="https://twitter.com/AprilDRyan/status/1346922912117383170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Hundreds of President Donald&nbsp;Trump's supporters stormed the US&nbsp;Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Police evacuated lawmakers and struggled for more than three hours after the invasion to clear the Capitol of&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;supporters, who surged through the hallways and rummaged through offices in shocking scenes of chaos and disorder.

One woman died after being shot during the mayhem, Washington police said. The FBI said it had disarmed two suspected explosive devices.

The assault on the Capitol was the culmination of months of divisive and escalating rhetoric around the November&nbsp;3 election, with&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;repeatedly making false claims that the vote was rigged and urging his supporters to help him overturn his loss.

The chaotic scenes unfolded after&nbsp;Trump, who before the election refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost, addressed thousands of supporters near the White House and told them to march on the Capitol to express their anger at the voting process.

He told his supporters to pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them "to fight."

White House advisor and President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka is facing criticism for calling pro-Trump rioters that stormed the US Capitol as ''patriots'' on social networking platform Twitter.

White House advisor and President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka is facing criticism for calling pro-Trump rioters that stormed the US Capitol as ''patriots'' on social networking platform Twitter. Taking to Twitter, Ivanka addressed the angry Trump supporters in a tweet saying ''American Patriots-any security breach or disrespect to our law enforcement is unacceptable. The violence is unacceptable. Please be respectful.'' Ivanka did not ask Trump supporters to abandon their demonstration at the US Capitol building. When questioned upon the use of the term ''patriots'' she justified her choice of words. No. Peaceful protest is patriotic. Violence is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. https://t.co/GwngZTqzTH — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) January 6, 2021 × We were always told that @IvankaTrump was going to be the “voice of reason” for her father. Instead, she’s just as complicit. You can delete the tweet, but you calling rioters “American Patriots” will live on! pic.twitter.com/0G8SGvH4fE — AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) January 6, 2021 × Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to overturn his election defeat, occupying the symbol of American democracy and forcing Congress to suspend a session to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Police evacuated lawmakers and struggled for more than three hours after the invasion to clear the Capitol of Trump supporters, who surged through the hallways and rummaged through offices in shocking scenes of chaos and disorder. One woman died after being shot during the mayhem, Washington police said. The FBI said it had disarmed two suspected explosive devices. The assault on the Capitol was the culmination of months of divisive and escalating rhetoric around the November 3 election, with Trump repeatedly making false claims that the vote was rigged and urging his supporters to help him overturn his loss. The chaotic scenes unfolded after Trump, who before the election refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost, addressed thousands of supporters near the White House and told them to march on the Capitol to express their anger at the voting process. He told his supporters to pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them "to fight."

Ivanka Trump faces criticism for calling pro-Trump mob 'patriots'

Americans looked on in shock Wednesday as a calm protest turned into an angry mob that swarmed past barriers and stormed the Capitol — spraying officers with chemical agents, breaking windows and doors and looting sizable objects — as the Capitol Police struggled to contain the violence and sometimes simply retreated.

The police force, which numbers about 2,000 officers and has sole jurisdiction over the Capitol’s buildings and grounds, was clearly outnumbered and unprepared for the onslaught, even as it was openly organized on social media sites like Gab and Parler.

It took more than two hours, and reinforcements from other law enforcement agencies, before the order was restored. One woman who appeared to have wrapped herself in a flag was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer, according to Robert Contee, chief of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department, which was called in for backup. Another woman and two men died during the events because of as-yet unspecified medical emergencies, he said.

At least 52 people were arrested, he said, including five on weapons charges and at least 26 on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Most of the arrests were for violating the 6 p.m. curfew, he said, adding that the police would circulate pictures of those sought for breaching the Capitol building. In addition, pipe bombs were found at the headquarters of both the Republican and the Democratic national committees and a cooler containing a long gun and Molotov cocktails was discovered on the Capitol grounds, the chief said.

The criticism of the Capitol Police was swift and, in some quarters, unforgiving.

Some law enforcement experts were astonished by the sight of an officer cowering in the crush of pro-Trump extremists and rioters using police shields and metal barricades as battering rams.

And protesters on the left saw a stark double standard, saying they had been hit with rubber bullets, manhandled, surrounded and arrested while behaving peacefully during demonstrations against racial injustice over the summer.

Attica Scott, a state representative in Kentucky, was arrested in Louisville on felony charges that were later dropped during the many months of protest over the death of Breonna Taylor in a botched police raid. “You can be arrested for walking while Black,” she said, “but you can be white and riot and basically get away with it.”

President Donald Trump’s own rhetoric has included stark contrasts toward protests. After George Floyd’s death, he called demonstrators “thugs” and promised that those who got out of line near the White House would be met with “the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen.” Federal law enforcement officers swept people into unmarked vans and used pepper spray to clear peaceful protesters so that Trump could pose for photos in front of a church.

But on Wednesday, after he gave a rally where he said he would “never concede,” he was far kinder to those who proceeded to storm the Capitol. Hours after the riot began, he finally posted a video saying, “You have to go home now.” He added, “We love you.”

After the rally, at around 1 p.m., crowds amassed at the temporary perimeter fence that had been set up around the Capitol and grew increasingly animated. “There was a noticeable change in their demeanour,” Contee said.

One policing expert said there should have been a heavily manned perimeter sealing off the entire Capitol grounds and a second around the building itself given that extremist groups with a history of violent confrontations were involved.

“How they were not ready for this today, I have no idea,” said Charles Ramsey, a former D.C. police chief. “They were overwhelmed, they did not have the resources. You have to be able to protect the Capitol. That is not OK.”

The Capitol Police did not answer the phone or email, or put out any statements about the incident.

Members of Congress demanded explanations as well. “We must investigate the security breach at the Capitol today,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said on Twitter. “I warned our Caucus and had an hour-long conversation with the Chief of Police 4 days ago. He assured me the terrorists would not be allowed on the plaza &amp;amp; Capitol secured.”

Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., said in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday night that the Capitol Police appeared understaffed. “It did not seem that they had a clear operational plan to really deal with” thousands of people who descended on the Capitol after Trump’s complaints of a “rigged election,” she said.

Ramsey said police officers in riot gear should have been stationed nearby.

The officers at the perimeter were easily overwhelmed, with the crowds — some in body armor — jostling them and spraying them with chemical plumes. On the east side of the Capitol, the rioters who broke through the perimeter then confronted a line of officers on the steps, a video shows. Those officers eventually retreated up the stairs, allowing the crowd to follow.

Another video shows officers appearing to move the barricades aside and let the protesters in. Protesters scaled walls and scaffolding, hoisted themselves up on a maintenance platform, posed for photos and vandalized office signs.

Some experts defended the police, noting that the Capitol Police deals with protests, both inside and outside the building, legal and illegal, on a regular basis, but they are nothing like this.

“This isn’t what happens at the U.S. Capitol,” said Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank in Washington. “This is completely unprecedented. This is as close to a 9/11 attack as you can think of, in that no one has ever done this before.”

Wexler said legitimate questions would be raised about why more officers were not on hand and why they did not anticipate the threat. But he laid most of the blame on political leaders who legitimize violent groups. “If the president tells his supporters, ‘This is what I want you to do,’ that could be more valuable than a thousand cops,” he said.

Chief Michel Moore of the Los Angeles Police Department said it was unrealistic to expect the police to quell “people who are hell-bent on destruction.”

“They used violence against the police. They attacked the sacred Capitol and the Rotunda and then used tear gas or chemical agents, and physical attacks,” he said. “And what troubles me is the first thought was, well, why wasn’t the law enforcement better prepared?”

If the Capitol Police did not anticipate violence, the city did. Mayor Muriel Bowser called in the National Guard to supplement the city’s police force and warned counterprotesters and D.C. residents to stay away from planned pro-Trump actions Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Monday, the city police arrested Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right fraternity that uses street thuggery as political theater. Tarrio, who had two high-capacity firearm magazines, was wanted after bragging online about burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic Black church during protests last month. He was released but ordered to stay out of D.C.

The Proud Boys have been beating the drum for months for confrontations in support of Trump. In a statement on one of their social media channels after the storming of the U.S. Capitol, the Proud Boys attempted to justify the violence by saying that they were only copying the tactics of leftist protesters.

But Ja’Mal Green, a Chicago-based activist, said there was no comparison between the tactics or the response. “We all know if Black Lives Matter would have stormed the Capitol, there would have been deadly force used to protect that building, especially because it’s a federal building,” he said. “We today saw what it means for white people to have the privilege.”

Americans looked on in shock Wednesday as a calm protest turned into an angry mob that swarmed past barriers and stormed the Capitol — spraying officers with chemical agents, breaking windows and doors and looting sizable objects — as the Capitol Police struggled to contain the violence and sometimes simply retreated.

Americans looked on in shock Wednesday as a calm protest turned into an angry mob that swarmed past barriers and stormed the Capitol — spraying officers with chemical agents, breaking windows and doors and looting sizable objects — as the Capitol Police struggled to contain the violence and sometimes simply retreated. The police force, which numbers about 2,000 officers and has sole jurisdiction over the Capitol’s buildings and grounds, was clearly outnumbered and unprepared for the onslaught, even as it was openly organized on social media sites like Gab and Parler. It took more than two hours, and reinforcements from other law enforcement agencies, before the order was restored. One woman who appeared to have wrapped herself in a flag was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer, according to Robert Contee, chief of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department, which was called in for backup. Another woman and two men died during the events because of as-yet unspecified medical emergencies, he said. At least 52 people were arrested, he said, including five on weapons charges and at least 26 on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Most of the arrests were for violating the 6 p.m. curfew, he said, adding that the police would circulate pictures of those sought for breaching the Capitol building. In addition, pipe bombs were found at the headquarters of both the Republican and the Democratic national committees and a cooler containing a long gun and Molotov cocktails was discovered on the Capitol grounds, the chief said. The criticism of the Capitol Police was swift and, in some quarters, unforgiving. Some law enforcement experts were astonished by the sight of an officer cowering in the crush of pro-Trump extremists and rioters using police shields and metal barricades as battering rams. And protesters on the left saw a stark double standard, saying they had been hit with rubber bullets, manhandled, surrounded and arrested while behaving peacefully during demonstrations against racial injustice over the summer. Attica Scott, a state representative in Kentucky, was arrested in Louisville on felony charges that were later dropped during the many months of protest over the death of Breonna Taylor in a botched police raid. “You can be arrested for walking while Black,” she said, “but you can be white and riot and basically get away with it.” President Donald Trump’s own rhetoric has included stark contrasts toward protests. After George Floyd’s death, he called demonstrators “thugs” and promised that those who got out of line near the White House would be met with “the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen.” Federal law enforcement officers swept people into unmarked vans and used pepper spray to clear peaceful protesters so that Trump could pose for photos in front of a church. But on Wednesday, after he gave a rally where he said he would “never concede,” he was far kinder to those who proceeded to storm the Capitol. Hours after the riot began, he finally posted a video saying, “You have to go home now.” He added, “We love you.” After the rally, at around 1 p.m., crowds amassed at the temporary perimeter fence that had been set up around the Capitol and grew increasingly animated. “There was a noticeable change in their demeanour,” Contee said. One policing expert said there should have been a heavily manned perimeter sealing off the entire Capitol grounds and a second around the building itself given that extremist groups with a history of violent confrontations were involved. “How they were not ready for this today, I have no idea,” said Charles Ramsey, a former D.C. police chief. “They were overwhelmed, they did not have the resources. You have to be able to protect the Capitol. That is not OK.” The Capitol Police did not answer the phone or email, or put out any statements about the incident. Members of Congress demanded explanations as well. “We must investigate the security breach at the Capitol today,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said on Twitter. “I warned our Caucus and had an hour-long conversation with the Chief of Police 4 days ago. He assured me the terrorists would not be allowed on the plaza &amp; Capitol secured.” Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., said in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday night that the Capitol Police appeared understaffed. “It did not seem that they had a clear operational plan to really deal with” thousands of people who descended on the Capitol after Trump’s complaints of a “rigged election,” she said. Ramsey said police officers in riot gear should have been stationed nearby. The officers at the perimeter were easily overwhelmed, with the crowds — some in body armor — jostling them and spraying them with chemical plumes. On the east side of the Capitol, the rioters who broke through the perimeter then confronted a line of officers on the steps, a video shows. Those officers eventually retreated up the stairs, allowing the crowd to follow. Another video shows officers appearing to move the barricades aside and let the protesters in. Protesters scaled walls and scaffolding, hoisted themselves up on a maintenance platform, posed for photos and vandalized office signs. Some experts defended the police, noting that the Capitol Police deals with protests, both inside and outside the building, legal and illegal, on a regular basis, but they are nothing like this. “This isn’t what happens at the U.S. Capitol,” said Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank in Washington. “This is completely unprecedented. This is as close to a 9/11 attack as you can think of, in that no one has ever done this before.” Wexler said legitimate questions would be raised about why more officers were not on hand and why they did not anticipate the threat. But he laid most of the blame on political leaders who legitimize violent groups. “If the president tells his supporters, ‘This is what I want you to do,’ that could be more valuable than a thousand cops,” he said. Chief Michel Moore of the Los Angeles Police Department said it was unrealistic to expect the police to quell “people who are hell-bent on destruction.” “They used violence against the police. They attacked the sacred Capitol and the Rotunda and then used tear gas or chemical agents, and physical attacks,” he said. “And what troubles me is the first thought was, well, why wasn’t the law enforcement better prepared?” If the Capitol Police did not anticipate violence, the city did. Mayor Muriel Bowser called in the National Guard to supplement the city’s police force and warned counterprotesters and D.C. residents to stay away from planned pro-Trump actions Tuesday and Wednesday. On Monday, the city police arrested Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right fraternity that uses street thuggery as political theater. Tarrio, who had two high-capacity firearm magazines, was wanted after bragging online about burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic Black church during protests last month. He was released but ordered to stay out of D.C. The Proud Boys have been beating the drum for months for confrontations in support of Trump. In a statement on one of their social media channels after the storming of the U.S. Capitol, the Proud Boys attempted to justify the violence by saying that they were only copying the tactics of leftist protesters. But Ja’Mal Green, a Chicago-based activist, said there was no comparison between the tactics or the response. “We all know if Black Lives Matter would have stormed the Capitol, there would have been deadly force used to protect that building, especially because it’s a federal building,” he said. “We today saw what it means for white people to have the privilege.”

Capitol breach draws sharp condemnation of law enforcement