Congress on Wednesday met to certify the Electoral College vote, but was forced to go into lockdown as the Capitol Building was hit by violence from protesters and reports of suspicious packages.

The Levant News newsdesk
Protesters from a pro-Trump rally descended on the Capitol, clashing with police and leading authorities to lockdown the buildings -- and put the chambers into recess as lawmakers debated the certification of the Electoral College votes.

Protesters have breached the Capitol Building and are walking the hallways. Reports that they have smashed windows with U.S. flags. Electoral College certification halts as a result.

Protestors have entered the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/dzaDGn5MoC

— Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) January 6, 2021

Mayor Muriel Bowser has issued a citywide curfew amid continuing violence on Capitol Hill.

Today, I'm ordering a citywide curfew for the District of Columbia from 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6, until 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 7. pic.twitter.com/lp6Pt3DcYC

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 6, 2021

President Trump is lashing out at Mike Pence for not refusing to certify the results. "Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!"

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1346900434540240897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1346900434540240897%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-updates-pence-has-power-to-block-certification-trump-says

Hours earlier there were chaotic scenes outside the Capitol while lawmakers certify the Electoral College votes on Wednesday after protests erupted and two buildings were briefly evacuated by U.S. Capitol Police because of a purported bomb threat.

The Cannon House Office Building and Madison Library of Congress Building were briefly evacuated because of a bomb threat after several suspicious packages were reportedly found in the area.