Donald Trump supporters storm US Capitol building during Joe Biden certification

Unprecedented scenes were witnessed at Capitol Hill as hundreds of Donald Trump supporters surrounded and stormed the Capitol Building just when US lawmakers were gathered to certify Joe Biden's victory in US Presidential Elections 2020.

As Trump supporters surged through halls of the Congress, both the Houses were forced to halt proceedings. US Congress members were evacuated. Security inside the Congress had to even draw guns to deter the protesters.One protester occupied the Senate dais and yelled, "Trump won that election." Protesters overturned barricades and clashed with police as thousands descended on the Capitol grounds.

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Video showed protesters breaking windows and police deploying teargas inside the building. Local media reported that one person had been shot and video showed a person being wheeled from the building on a stretcher.

Vice President Mike Pence, who had presided over the joint session of Congress, had already been escorted from the Senate.

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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 protesters, repeating unfounded claims that the contest was stolen from him due to widespread election fraud and irregularities.

Lawmakers had been debating a last-ditch effort by pro-Trump lawmakers to challenge the results, an effort that was unlikely to succeed.

After situation at the Capitol Hill areas grew tense and violent, Washington MayorMuriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew of 6 pm local time (2300 GMT)

This is an 'insurrection': Joe Biden

US President-elect in a LIVE address to the media denounced the event as an "insurrection". He said that this was not a protest.

"I call on President Trump to go on national television now to... demand an end to this siege," Biden said. "To storm the Capitol, to smash windows, to occupy offices, the floor of the United States Senate... threatening the safety of duly elected officials? It's not a protest, it's insurrection."

He asked President Trump to "step up" to end the violence.

Shortly after his LIVE address Trump tweeted a recorded video and asked his supporters to "go home" but also said that he loved them.

Police overwhelmed

The security around the Capitol Building was beefed up anyway as the US Congress session was set to take place but sheer number of hundreds of Trump supporters overwhelmed police and other security services.

After the situation worsened, US National Guard was mobilised in Washington and neighboring states.

International condemnation

Developments at Capitol Hill drew international attention.

"Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power," tweeted UK PM Boris Johnson.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian termed the developments "attack againstdemocracy"

"The violent acts against American institutions are a grave attack against democracy. I condemn them. The American people's will and vote must be respected," he tweeted.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said that the situation in US was "shocking"

"Shocking scenes in Washington, D.C. The outcome of this democratic election must be respected," he tweeted.

Election officials of both parties and independent observers have said there was no significant fraud in the Nov. 3 contest, which Biden won by more than 7 million votes in the national popular vote.

(With agency inputs)