Trump tells rioters to ‘stay peaceful’ after goading them into violence as they storm Capitol

Donald Trump, after stoking his supporters into a frenzy and deploying them to the Capitol where lawmakers were certifying his election loss, tweeted for them to remain calm.

“Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!” the president tweeted after rioters busted through locked doors and surrounded the House and Senate chambers – with lawmakers locked inside.

Vice President Mike Pence was presiding over the Senate’s debate over an objection by Republican lawmakers to Arizona’s electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden.

A New York Times reporter tweeted that lawmakers and press members inside the Capitol were taken to a secure location, and he was summoned by Utah Senator Mitt Romney. “This is what the president has caused today, this insurrection,” he said w fury in his voice," Jonathan Martin tweeted.

The riot at the Capitol came after Mr Trump whipped his backers into a frenzy at a midday rally claiming the election was stolen, and sometimes using sharp rhetoric.

“You have to show strength, and you have to be strong,” Mr Trump told his supporters at that rally.

At several points, he told the crowd they should not “take it anymore.”

“We will never give up, we will never concede,” the president told rally-goers who became rioters about an hour later.

“Our country has had enough," Mr Trump said. “We will not take it anymore – that’s what this is all about.”

Hours later, there were reports of gunshots inside the Capitol building and law enforcement personnel held protestors trying to break into the House chamber at gunpoint.

On Fox News, from somewhere in the Capitol, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said “this is not who we are.”

His statement was in the form of a statement, but could have been taken as a question as one rioter stormed inside the House chamber and ascended the dias with arms raised, yelling incorrectly that Mr Trump won the election.