Part 5: The Capitol Attack
January 6, 2021 — Election certification day
3:08 a.m. Oath Keepers leader Donovan Crowl replies to a message from a member warning to look for infiltrators in red hats: “Thanks Brother, but we are WAY ahead on that. We have infiltrators in Their ranks.”
Before 6:30 a.m. A small group of about five individuals wheel a wooden structure up the street, ahead of Trump’s speech. (The structure provided the gallows later erected at the Capitol’s west lawn.)
Individuals drag gallows prop in the early a.m. of Jan. 6
6:37 a.m. Proud Boys leader Charles Donohoe (AKA “Hunter”) posts an encrypted message to other Proud Boys leaders: “Are we gonna do a commanders briefing before the 10 a.m.?” He indicates he is on his way to the Washington Monument.
6:42 a.m. Katrina Pierson texts Mark Meadows: “Good morning. Praying for you, praying for the president and praying that I get through the day. Hopefully this latest nightmare will yield something positive.”
Early morning (unknown time), Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund speaks to Metro Police officials to coordinate for possible incidents that day.
7:15 a.m. On his way to work, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund calls Metro Police Inspector Robert Glover to “inquire about the crowds he was seeing for the event, which was beginning at the Ellipse.” The inspector replies that while lines were already forming, the crowd appeared compliant. Sund then arrives at the USCP Command Center to monitor activity. “We were monitoring the actions and demeanor of the crowd, which at that time did not raise any concerns.”
7:30 a.m. Mark Meadows replies to Rep. Jim Jordan’s plan to substitute the lawful electors for Biden with unauthorized electors for Trump: “I have pushed for this. Not sure it is going to happen.”
8:00 a.m. Sometime in the eighth hour, the Secret Service sends an internal bulletin: “Per CSD, there are approximately 10,000 in line waiting to go through the Main Magnetometers for the POTUS Ellipse Site at UD Post 215 on Constitution Ave. Some members of the crowd are wearing ballistic helmets, body armor, and carrying radio equipment and military grade backpacks.”
8:08 a.m. Mark Meadows texts Rep. Mo Brooks: “You are speaking this am.” And, “Are you aware.”
8:17 a.m. Donald Trump tweets: “States want to correct their votes, which they now know were based on irregularities and fraud, plus corrupt process never received legislative approval. All Mike Pence has to do is send them back to the States, AND WE WIN. Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!”
8:24 a.m. Capitol Police official Eric Waldow, an “incident commander,” instructs the department to watch for potential threats from anti-Trump protesters in the crowd. Widespread trouble from the pro-Trump crowd is not foreseen.
8:30 a.m. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) arrives at the Capitol complex for work that day, expecting to find great security due to the mass of protesters in town. (“I came through the back of my office building. I noticed I was walking on the sidewalk with some of the protesters, unimpeded. I felt as though security was very lax. No one stopped them. They were walking around here as early as 8:30 in the morning.”)
8:40 a.m. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) tweets a message condemning the harassment the night before of Sen. Mitt Romney by Trump supporters, who were taking the same flight to Washington, D.C., likely for the Trump event. The group, followers of QAnon, had the night prior posted a video under the Twitter handle “Qtah,” showing Sen. Romney accosted at the airport with accusations of abandoning Trump. On the plane, the Trump group chanted “traitor” at the Senator, called on him to resign, and accused Romney of a “connection to Burisma.” The video shows no security detail near Sen. Romney.
6:42 a.m. Katrina Pierson texts Mark Meadows: “Good morning. Praying for you, praying for the president and praying that I get through the day. Hopefully this latest nightmare will yield something positive.”
Early morning (unknown time), Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund speaks to Metro Police officials to coordinate for possible incidents that day.
7:15 a.m. On his way to work, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund calls Metro Police Inspector Robert Glover to “inquire about the crowds he was seeing for the event, which was beginning at the Ellipse.” The inspector replies that while lines were already forming, the crowd appeared compliant. Sund then arrives at the USCP Command Center to monitor activity. “We were monitoring the actions and demeanor of the crowd, which at that time did not raise any concerns.”
7:30 a.m. Mark Meadows replies to Rep. Jim Jordan’s plan to substitute the lawful electors for Biden with unauthorized electors for Trump: “I have pushed for this. Not sure it is going to happen.”
8:00 a.m. Sometime in the eighth hour, the Secret Service sends an internal bulletin: “Per CSD, there are approximately 10,000 in line waiting to go through the Main Magnetometers for the POTUS Ellipse Site at UD Post 215 on Constitution Ave. Some members of the crowd are wearing ballistic helmets, body armor, and carrying radio equipment and military grade backpacks.”
8:08 a.m. Mark Meadows texts Rep. Mo Brooks: “You are speaking this am.” And, “Are you aware.”
8:17 a.m. Donald Trump tweets: “States want to correct their votes, which they now know were based on irregularities and fraud, plus corrupt process never received legislative approval. All Mike Pence has to do is send them back to the States, AND WE WIN. Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!”
8:24 a.m. Capitol Police official Eric Waldow, an “incident commander,” instructs the department to watch for potential threats from anti-Trump protesters in the crowd. Widespread trouble from the pro-Trump crowd is not foreseen.
8:30 a.m. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) arrives at the Capitol complex for work that day, expecting to find great security due to the mass of protesters in town. (“I came through the back of my office building. I noticed I was walking on the sidewalk with some of the protesters, unimpeded. I felt as though security was very lax. No one stopped them. They were walking around here as early as 8:30 in the morning.”)
8:40 a.m. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) tweets a message condemning the harassment the night before of Sen. Mitt Romney by Trump supporters, who were taking the same flight to Washington, D.C., likely for the Trump event. The group, followers of QAnon, had the night prior posted a video under the Twitter handle “Qtah,” showing Sen. Romney accosted at the airport with accusations of abandoning Trump. On the plane, the Trump group chanted “traitor” at the Senator, called on him to resign, and accused Romney of a “connection to Burisma.” The video shows no security detail near Sen. Romney.
Women for America First holds a rally at the Ellipse, re-dubbed the “Save America March”:
At the Ellipse:
8:34 a.m. to 8:38 a.m. President Trump’s spiritual advisor Paula White opens the Trump rally with prayer: “God, make Your people rise up and stand strong. Give them strength and let them not be weary in well-doing. Overturn every spirit of fear, intimidation, worry, anxiety. And I declare right now that You would give us a holy boldness in this hour. . . . You said that justice and judgment is more acceptable than sacrifice. God, You said You honor Your word and Your name above all things, so we hold You and we covenant with You today, let justice be done. Let justice be done. Let justice be done. Let we the people have the assurance of a fair and a just election. Hear our cry and turn our hearts to You. God, I pray that You would turn the hearts of those who are in power and position to make decisions, to walk in Your wisdom, and to do justly today for the integrity of our democracy, for our nation. God, we ask right now, in conclusion, for Your provisions, for Your protection, for Your power, for Your outpouring of Your Spirit like never before. I secure POTUS. I thank You for President Trump. . . . He has stood for righteousness. . . . He has walked in Your ways. And as You have allowed me to have a relationship with him and his family for 20 years now, as his pastor, I put a hedge of protection around him. I secure his purpose. I secure his destiny. I secure his life, God. And I thank You that he will walk in a holy boldness of wisdom, God, and that You will go before him. You will be his rearguard and You will go in front of him this day and every day, God.”
Paula White tells God, "Give us a holy boldness."
At the Ellipse:
8:38 a.m to 8:41 a.m. The Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem follow Paula White’s prayer.
8:41 a.m. to 9:06 a.m. “Bohemian Rhapsody” excites the crowd. “Gloria” plays. Propaganda video on the jumbotron praises Trump for the Covid-19 vaccine, and claims election fraud. Phil Collins song plays. Next, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
8:54 a.m. Mark Meadows texts Sen. David Perdue: “Any hope my friend[?]”
[unknown time: Proud Boys livestreamer Eddie Block introduces self to Alex Jones outside the American Red Cross building at 17th Street, to the west of the Ellipse.]
[unknown time: Proud Boys livestreamer Eddie Block introduces self to Alex Jones outside the American Red Cross building at 17th Street, to the west of the Ellipse.]
At the Ellipse:
9:06 a.m. to 9:16 a.m. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) speaks: “I’ve got a message that I need you to take to heart, and take back home, and along the way stop at the Capitol!” “For seven decades, America has been the greatest nation in world history!” “We are great because our ancestors sacrificed their blood, their sweat, their tears, their fortunes, and sometimes their lives!” Brooks puts on a red hat with the message, “FIRE PELOSI,” and says, “Today is the day we start taking down names and kickin’ a**!” Repeats, “Now, our ancestors sacrificed their blood, their sweat, their tears, their fortunes, and sometimes their lives to give us, their descendants, the greatest nation in world history. So I have a question for you: are you willing to do the same?” “Louder! Are you willing to do what it takes to fight for America? Louder! WILL YOU FIGHT FOR AMERICA?” Brooks says Capitol Hill “needs to know that we, American patriots, are not going to take it anymore, that we, American patriots, are going to come right at ‘em!” Brooks continues: “What are the simple words we must shout to the heavens, and carry the message to Capitol Hill? What are the words that cause socialists and weak-kneed Republicans on Capitol Hill to shake in their boots in the foxholes? What are the words that scare the h*** out of socialists and weak-kneed Republicans alike? Join with me: USA! USA!” Brooks leads the crowd to repeat the chant several times. He then ends his speech with: “USA! God bless America! And the fight begins today!!”
Rep. Mo Brooks: "Are you ready to fight for America?"
At the Ellipse:
9:16 a.m. to 9:41 a.m. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” replays. Propaganda video on jumbotron: “We believe in America.” Titanic movie theme plays.
9:21 a.m. CNN news anchor Dana Bash texts Mark Meadows: “What is Trump doing to pence ?!!”
9:30 a.m. Sen. David Perdue replies to Mark Meadows: “I don’t see it. I’ll call later this morning. We have to figure this out going forward. I am so sorry. I feel like I let you and POTUS down. Thank you for everything.”
9:33 a.m. Rep. Mo Brooks replies to Mark Meadows: “Did it in 10m. Thanks! Crowd roaring.”
9:30 a.m. Sen. David Perdue replies to Mark Meadows: “I don’t see it. I’ll call later this morning. We have to figure this out going forward. I am so sorry. I feel like I let you and POTUS down. Thank you for everything.”
9:33 a.m. Rep. Mo Brooks replies to Mark Meadows: “Did it in 10m. Thanks! Crowd roaring.”
At the Ellipse:
9:41 a.m. to 9:51 a.m. Rally speaker Katrina Pierson repeats Mo Brook’s chant: “USA!” She then “announces” that “the president heard patriots were coming to town,” and “guess what? Now he wants to be here with you!” She says the people put Trump in the White House, “Not once, but twice!” After mocking Joe Biden for gathering people in “six hula-hoops,” she says no one believes Biden won. “But hey, there’s something going on at the Capitol today, and I don’t think they can hear you!” Crowd chants, “Stop the steal!” Pierson continues: “Americans know their rights, Americans will stand up for themselves and protect their rights, and they will demand that the politicians that we elect uphold those rights, or we will go after them!” “I can see from here, all the way back: there are more of us than there are of them! And they’re about to see us coming!” “That’s what we do as patriots: we fight!” “We the people are in charge of the United States.”
Pierson: "There are more of us than there are of them!"
9:45 a.m. Mark Meadows texts Katrina Pierson: “If you see a dead spot. Vern Jones wants to announce he is changing to Republican. If that works for you and schedule. I am fine with it. No pressure from me. Trust your judgement totally.”
At the Ellipse:
9:52 a.m. to 10:02 a.m. Rally organizer Amy Kremer speaks. “Hello, deplorables!” She marvels at the crowd: “Oh my G_d, the sight to see. This president hasn’t asked for much from us. He’s asked for our vote, and he asked us to show up today, and don’t think he’s going to be disappointed.” “We love him, and he loves us.” “Sleepy Joe Biden did not win this election!” “That’s why we’re here today, to stop the steal.” Crowd chants, “Stop the steal! Stop the steal!” “He asked us to show up today, and we showed up. And we are not going to back down.” “If nothing else, what Republicans should have learned is how to go on offense, and win, and fight back, punch back, from Donald Trump.” “He needs us now, just like we need him.” “For years, as Republicans over at the Capitol have been telling us they have been fighting for us, what have they been doing? They’ve been crafting the terms and signing away our rights. And they keep attacking our president. And you know what? Every time they attack him, it’s an attack on you and I.” “We are here to save the republic.” “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to learn to speak Chinese, and I don’t want that White House to turn red. It is up to you and I to save this republic.” “Let Republicans know, we’re coming for you, and Democrats too.”
9:52 a.m. to 10:18 a.m. Donald Trump talks to his chief speechwriter, Stephen Miller, about additions he wants to the speech about to take place. Trump wants to say: “And we will see whether Mike Pence enters history as a truly great and courageous leader. All he has to do is refer the illegally-submitted electoral votes back to the states that were given false and fraudulent information where they want to recertify.” This is the first time the speech was made to reference Pence. Senior Advisor Eric Herschmann objects to the insertion. The lines about Pence are removed.
10:00 a.m. [approximate time] a group of Proud Boys gathers near the Washington Monument. At an undetermined time, Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, and Zachary Rehl lead this group to the east side of the Capitol Building. Biggs and Rehl would be seen holding walkie-talkies. Nordean and Biggs would also use megaphones to direct the crowd.
10:02 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence issues a public statement: “It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not.”
10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. [approximate time] White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson and deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato speak to Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, about weapons confiscated that morning from rally-goers. (Hutchinson testified under oath to Congress on June 28, 2022: “I remember Tony mentioning knives, guns in the form of pistols and rifles, bear spray, body armor, spears, and flagpoles. Spears were one item, flagpoles were one item. But then Tony had related to me something to the effect of and these effing people are fastening spears onto the ends of flagpoles.”)
10:00 a.m. [approximate time] a group of Proud Boys gathers near the Washington Monument. At an undetermined time, Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, and Zachary Rehl lead this group to the east side of the Capitol Building. Biggs and Rehl would be seen holding walkie-talkies. Nordean and Biggs would also use megaphones to direct the crowd.
10:02 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence issues a public statement: “It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not.”
10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. [approximate time] White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson and deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato speak to Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, about weapons confiscated that morning from rally-goers. (Hutchinson testified under oath to Congress on June 28, 2022: “I remember Tony mentioning knives, guns in the form of pistols and rifles, bear spray, body armor, spears, and flagpoles. Spears were one item, flagpoles were one item. But then Tony had related to me something to the effect of and these effing people are fastening spears onto the ends of flagpoles.”)
At the Ellipse:
10:04 a.m. to 10:08 a.m. Vern Jones, who switched from Democrat to Republican, tells the crowd: “[Trump] has been fighting for us, and he’s been fighting for America! And that’s why we’re here, to show that we are going to fight for him!” He praises Mike Lindell for giving him courage to fight “those demon Democrats.”
10:08 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears with his wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, for brief remarks at the rally about his lawsuit. “What we have in President Trump is a fighter.”
10:14 a.m. to 10:19 a.m. Eric Trump addresses the rally. “This is the greatest group of patriots ever put together!” “Is there any person here that actually thinks that Joe Biden won this election?” Eric then floats idea that his wife “needs to run for Senate,” but says, “just kidding.” “Would anybody approve of that?” Crowd cheers. Eric acts surprised: “That’s pretty good, honey.”
10:16 a.m. Katrina Pierson replies to Mark Meadows: “Thank you. I almost had Caroline Wren escorted off the property.” About Vern Jones, she says, “I would have said no, and Don Jr agrees but someone from the WH approved it directly.”
At the Ellipse:
10:17 a.m. to 10:19 a.m. Lara Trump, Eric’s wife, takes microphone: “Not bad.” “This fight has only just begun. Let’s be very, very clear about that. And Eric said it. Our family didn’t get in this fight for just four years. We are in this fight to the bitter end. We are going to take our country back.” “Let’s keep the fight going, America!” Lara says today is Eric’s birthday, and Eric says for his birthday he wants Congress to “show some fight. Learn from Donald Trump.” As Lara blows kisses to the crowd, Eric says, “We need to march on the Capitol today!”
Eric Trump, standing with his wife, Lara: "We need to march on the Capitol today!"
At the Ellipse:
10:19 a.m. to 10:22 a.m. Girlfriend to Don Trump, Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, stokes the crowd: “How much do we love President Trump?” She says the crowd is full of “God-loving” patriots who “will not let them steal this election! President Trump has been the most transformative, the most impactful president this incredible country has ever seen!” “He will continue to save America. We will continue to stand for President Trump, stand with him and for this country! We will not allow the liberals and the Democrats to steal our dream or steal our elections! No president has fought harder than President Trump and his incredible family.” “Let’s show the president when he comes how much we love him!” “The best is yet to come!”
Kimberly Guilfoyle: "Show the president how much we love him!"
At the Ellipse:
10:22 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Don Trump, Jr., speaks: “Hello, patriots! You actually all did something I didn’t realize was possible. I’m looking at the crowd here, and the tens of thousands, probably a hundred thousand-plus people here, and you did it all without burning down buildings! You did it without ripping down churches, without looting? I didn’t know that that was possible. According to the media, when you have a large gathering of peaceful protesters, they’re supposed to burn it all down.” He criticizes Republicans who didn’t challenge the election results: “The people who did nothing to stop the steal, this gathering should send a message to them. This is not their Republican Party any more. This is Donald Trump’s Republican Party!” “This is the Republican Party that will fight for the American worker!” Don criticizes establishment Republicans for turning the other cheek: “NO MORE!” “To those Republicans, many of whom will be voting for things in the coming hours, you have an opportunity today. You can be a hero, or you can be a zero. The choice is yours. But we are all watching!” Crowd chants, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!” “Guess what, folks? If you’re going to be the zero and not the hero, we’re coming for you, and we’re going to have a good time doing it. We gotta start fighting like the Democrats do. We gotta take their fight to them, their way.” “To all of you red-blooded, patriotic Americans: thank you for being in this fight with us! Thank you for standing up to the bullsh**!” Don goes on a profane rant about “trans women” in sports. “No one cares how you identify, but you don’t have to do the nonsense that follows.” He advises the crowd: “Stay loud! Don’t be suppressed!” “Keep fighting!”
Don Trump, Jr.: "No more" turning the other cheek
At the Ellipse:
10:38 a.m. to 10:41 a.m. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) speaks: “Wow, this crowd has some fight in it!” “There is a new Republican Party rising!” “The Republicans hiding, and not fighting: they are trying to silence your voice!” “This crowd has the voice of lions! There is a new Republican Party on the rise that will represent this country, that will go and fight in Washington, D.C.” “Do we love Donald Trump? But, my friends, we’re not doing this just for Donald Trump. We are doing this for the Constitution! Our Constitution was violated!” “While I leave, let’s give Donald Trump a chance to know who supports him! USA! USA!” Crowd joins chant.
10:47 a.m. to 10:53 a.m. Rudy Giulani, Trump’s personal attorney, addresses the rally: “Two points. Number one, every single thing that has been outlined as the plan for today is perfectly legal.” He continues, “It is perfectly appropriate, given the questionable constitutionality of the election counting act of 1887, that the vice president can cast it aside. . . . He can decide on the validity of these crooked ballots, or he can send it back to the legislatures, give them 5-10 days to finally finish the work.” Crowd chants, “Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!” Giuliani continues, “Over the next ten days, we get to see the machines that are crooked, the ballots that are fraudulent, and if we’re wrong, we will be made fools of. But if we’re right, a lot of them will go to jail!” Crowd erupts with approval. “So, let’s have TRIAL BY COMBAT!” Crowd cheers. He stakes his reputation: “we’re going to find criminality” in the election. Tying in to the Georgia senatorial election just hours ago, Giuliani alleges that “the votes were deliberately changed” by an “algorithm” in Dominion Voting Machines. Giuliani states out-of-hand that the machines are programmed to “favor the Democrats.” He claims the 2020 election “was the worst election in American history, and it has to be vindicated to save our republic. This is bigger than Donald Trump. This is bigger than you and me. This is about these monuments, and what they stand for.” He points in the direction of the Capitol. “I’ll be darned if they’re going to take away our free and fair vote! We’re going to fight until the very end to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Giuliani then defers to Prof. John Eastman to explain “how they cheated” in Georgia the night before. (Note: two weeks after Giuliani’s speech, Dominion initiated a defamation lawsuit against Giuliani for $1.3 billion.)
Giuliani: "Let's have trial by combat!"
At the Ellipse:
10:53 a.m. to 10:56 a.m. Prof. John Eastman claims he caught “in real time” how voting machines contributed to fraud. Undermining somewhat Giuliani’s claim that Dominion voting machines are pre-programmed with an algorithm to favor Democrats, Eastman claims someone “put those ballots into a secret folder in the machines, sitting there waiting until they know how many they need.” (Eastman bases his observation on the preliminary vote totals reported on election night, not on actual knowledge of fraud.) “All we are demanding of Vice President Mike Pence is that this afternoon at 1:00 he let legislatures of the states look into this.”
Eastman: Mike Pence should delay today's certification
At the Ellipse:
10:57 a.m. to 10:59 a.m. Two-minute propaganda video plays on the jumbotron with ominous depictions of Joe Biden, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Seconds after the Democrats appear, the video plays the sound of a military gunshot. Cuts to scenes of poverty. Trump appears, accompanied by sympathetic rap music about “trying so hard.” Trump walks with command near military weapons. An adoring, crying fan mouths the words, “Thank you!” Another Trump supporter rips a photograph of Nancy Pelosi in half. Music pulsates. Trump watches a missile launch. Fighter jets. Video begins and ends with a red-tinged close-up of Trump’s stoic eyes.
Propaganda video at the Ellipse
At the Ellipse:
10:59 a.m. Music plays as crowd waits for Trump, who is scheduled for 11 a.m.
11:00 a.m. Broadcaster for Right Side Media Grace Saldana speculates there are over a million people or more at the rally. “People are optimistically saying there are about four and a half million people here in D.C., but we’ll see what we can see at the march. When we are marching from here to the Capitol, I think we’ll get a really good idea how many people are here.”
11:00 a.m. to 11:53 a.m. The music returns for an hour as the crowd waits for President Trump to arrive: “Gloria,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Beat It,” etc.
11:20 a.m. Donald Trump has a heated phone call with Mike Pence. After the call, the speechwriters reinsert the Pence lines to the speech, under the direction of Robert Gabriel. (Trump would ad-lib seven additional references to Pence in the speech. Other ad-libbed changes include “fight like hell,” “show strength,” “I hope Mike has the courage,” “let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.”)
11:22 a.m. Proud Boys are seen at the Peace Circle monument, led by Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean.
11:22 a.m. Proud Boys are seen at the Peace Circle monument, led by Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean.
Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean lead crowd to the Capitol
11:00 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. Sometime in the 11th hour, Secret Service radio each other about men near the Ellipse with Glock-style pistols and one or more AR-15 rifles: “That individual was in a tree. It’s gonna be a white male, about six feet tall, thin build, brown cowboy boots. He’s got jeans and a blue jean jacket, and underneath the hoodie jacket the complainants both saw stock of an AR-15. He’s going to be with a group of individuals, about 5 to 8 other individuals. Two of the individuals in that group at the base of the tree near the porta-potties were wearing green fatigues, green-olive dress-style fatigues. About 5’8”, 5’9”, skinny. Skinny white males, brown cowboy boots. They had Glock-style pistols in their waistbands.” “8736, with the message that subject’s weapon on his right hip. That’s a negative, he’s in the tree.” “Motor One, make sure PPD knows they have an elevated threat in the tree south side of Constitution Avenue. Look for the Don’t Tread on Me flag, American flag facemask, cowboy boots, weapon on the right-side hip.” “I got three men walking down the street in fatigues, one’s carrying an AR-15. Copy at 14th and Independence.”
11:25 p.m. Proud Boys gather westward of the Capitol.
11:40 p.m. Motorcade arrives to rally. Music continues. Ivanka Trump waves to the crowd.
11:48 a.m. A few hundred Proud Boys pose for photos on the Capitol’s east side.
11:25 p.m. Proud Boys gather westward of the Capitol.
11:40 p.m. Motorcade arrives to rally. Music continues. Ivanka Trump waves to the crowd.
11:48 a.m. A few hundred Proud Boys pose for photos on the Capitol’s east side.
Trump at the Ellipse:
11:53 a.m. “Gloria” plays again. This is apparently the moment Don Trump, Jr., livestreams from a tent nearby, showing his father, Donald Trump, observing a live feed of the crowd. Kimberly Guilfoyle clenches her fist to the camera and exhorts, “Fight!”
11:57 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Donald Trump appears on stage with “I’m Proud to be an American.” Trump applauds, points to the crowd, and pumps his fist for the duration of the song.
12:00 p.m. to 12:02 p.m. President Trump begins his speech. Audio is unintentionally muted for 30 seconds. He begins, “The media will not show the magnitude of this crowd. . . . We have hundreds of thousands of people here.” He instructs the cameras to record the audience. “These people are not going to take it anymore,” he says. He again praises the crowd size. “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved. Our country has had enough, and we will not take it anymore. And that’s what this is all about.”
"We will never give up. We will never concede."
12:00 p.m. [approximate time] Workers at the Capitol Building take a break from painting the inaugural stands at the West Front. The blue detail paint is 75% completed, and still wet. (Kevin Grooms, who works at the Capitol paint shop, would later describe his team’s work that day: “When I left there Wednesday [the 6th], I was real happy and proud of our team. We came back on Thursday morning, and I mean, it was completely destroyed. It was just totally demolished. The blue wet paint, they tracked it all over.” He continued, “It was a real mess, it was unbelievable. You just can’t imagine.”)
12:01 p.m. The crowd near the Washington Monument hears Trump say, “The media is the biggest problem we have in this county.” Crowd enthusiastically boos. Trump continues, “This year, they rigged an election, they rigged an election like they’ve never rigged an election before.” Boos. Man yells, “Let’s go to war!” Woman chants, “Storm the Capitol! Storm the Capitol!”
12:02 p.m. Crowd hears Trump over the speaker, “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen.” Crowd cheers wildly.
12:01 p.m. The crowd near the Washington Monument hears Trump say, “The media is the biggest problem we have in this county.” Crowd enthusiastically boos. Trump continues, “This year, they rigged an election, they rigged an election like they’ve never rigged an election before.” Boos. Man yells, “Let’s go to war!” Woman chants, “Storm the Capitol! Storm the Capitol!”
12:02 p.m. Crowd hears Trump over the speaker, “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen.” Crowd cheers wildly.
Trump at the Ellipse:
12:03 p.m. Trump claims he won the election in a “landslide.”
12:04 p.m. Trump: “Does anybody believe that Joe had 80 million votes? He had 80 million computer votes.” “Take third-world countries, their elections are more honest than what we’ve been going through in this country.” “We will not let them silence your voices.” Crowd chants, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!”
12:05 p.m. The crowd chants, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!” to the impromptu beat of a drum. Trump is visible on the jumbotron.
12:05 p.m. Trump: “And Rudy, you did a great job. He’s got guts! You know what? He’s got guts! Unlike a lot of people in the Republican Party. He’s got guts. He fights. He fights.”
12:06 p.m. Trump: “I hope Mike Pence is going to do the right thing. I hope so. I hope so. Because, if Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election. All he has to do—and this is from some of the top constitutional scholars in our country. He has the absolute right to do it. . . . States want to revote. The states got defrauded. They were given false information. They voted on it. Now they want to recertify. They want it back. All Vice President Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify, and we become the president, and you are the happiest people.”
12:07 p.m. Trump: “I just spoke to Mike. I said to him, ‘Mike, that doesn’t take courage. What takes courage is to do nothing, that takes courage. And then we’re stuck with a president who lost the election by a lot, and then we’re stuck with that for four more years.’ We’re just not going to let it happen.” “There’s never been a movement like this ever, ever.” Crowd chants, “We want Trump! We want Trump!”
12:08 p.m. Trump again marvels at the size of the crowd. He claims the Democrats are trying to take down monuments to Jefferson, Washington, and Lincoln.
12:09 p.m. Trump claims the pandemic is being used to defraud elections.
12:10 p.m. Trump: “For years, Democrats have gotten away with election fraud.” Then he praises what would be impossible under voter fraud: all the Republicans he helped get elected.
12:11 p.m. Trump contrasts the crowd with Democrats: “Just remember this. You’re stronger, you’re smarter, and you’ve got more going than anybody, and they try and demean everybody having to do with us. You’re the real people. You’re the people that built this nation. You’re not the people that tore down our nation.”
12:12 p.m. Trump: “Unbelievable what we have to go through. What you have to go through. And you have to get your people to fight. And if they don’t fight, we have to primary the h*** out of the ones that don’t fight.” Trump goes on to call mail-in ballots a “scam” and says the Coronavirus was used as a pretext for theft. “It’s theft. Everybody knows it. That election, our election, was over at 10 o’clock in the evening.”
12:13 p.m. Trump: “And then late in the evening, or early in the morning, boom, these explosions of bullsh**!” Crowd erupts. Chants, “Stop the steal!”
12:13 p.m. Jason Rink, a libertarian filmmaker in town making a documentary about Ali Alexander, leaves the Trump speech to go to the “Wild Protest” supposedly scheduled near the east side of the Capitol. (Later, a few folding chairs and a small platform would be seen near this location. Alex Jones would direct the mob to swarm this eastern location at about 2:00 p.m. because, “That’s where Trump is going to be!” Early gatherers would be overheard waiting for Trump to arrive here.)
Trump at the Ellipse:
12:14 p.m. Trump: “We don’t have a free and fair press. Our media is not free, it is not fair. It suppresses thought, it suppresses speech, and it’s become the enemy of the people. It’s become the enemy of the people. It’s the biggest problem we have in this country.”
12:15 p.m. Trump: “Republicans are constantly fighting like a boxer with his hands tied behind his back. It’s like a boxer. And we want to be so ‘nice.’ We want to be so respectful of everybody, including bad people. We’re going to have to fight much harder. And Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us. And if he doesn’t, that will be a sad day for our country.”
12:15 p.m. to 12:16 p.m. Trump: “Now it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, we’re going to walk down—and I will be there with you—we’re going to walk down. We’re going to walk down, anyone you want, but I think right here. We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave Senators and Congressmen and women—and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them. Because, you will never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”
12:16 p.m. Trump: “We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing, and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated. I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard. Today, we will see whether Republicans stand strong for integrity of our elections, whether or not they stand strong for our country. Our country. Our country has been under siege for a long time.”
12:19 p.m. Trump: “We’ve done things like nobody’s ever thought possible. And that’s part of the reason that many people don’t like us, because we’ve done too much.”
12:20 p.m. Trump: “Today, we see a very important event, because right over there, right there,” he points toward the Capitol, “we see the event going to take place, and I’m going to be watching, because history is going to be made. We’re going to see whether we have great and courageous leaders, or whether or not we have leaders that should be ashamed of themselves. Throughout history, throughout eternity, they’ll be ashamed. And you know what? If they do the wrong thing, we should never, ever forget.”
12:23 p.m. Near the Washington Monument, a trumpet plays “America, the Beautiful.” Sign: “LGBTQ for Trump.” Crowd is sizable, mingling. Someone is heard to say, “Whoa. We’ve got to go,” in likely reference to getting an early start to the Capitol.
12:29 p.m. The president’s National Security Council staff discusses preparations to take Trump (code-named MOGUL) to the Capitol: “MOGUL’s going to the Capital [sic].... they are clearing a route now.”
12:29 p.m. NSC staff continues in chat: “they are finding the best route now.”
12:30 p.m. Outside the Capitol, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) reportedly gives a thumbs up, a fist pump, and a wave to the gathering crowd. (Size and location of crowd unconfirmed. Likely a small group on the east side, waiting for Trump to arrive.)
12:32 p.m. NSC staff continues to discuss Trump going to the Capitol: “MilAide has confirmed that he wants to walk.” “They are begging him to reconsider.”
12:29 p.m. The president’s National Security Council staff discusses preparations to take Trump (code-named MOGUL) to the Capitol: “MOGUL’s going to the Capital [sic].... they are clearing a route now.”
12:29 p.m. NSC staff continues in chat: “they are finding the best route now.”
12:30 p.m. Outside the Capitol, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) reportedly gives a thumbs up, a fist pump, and a wave to the gathering crowd. (Size and location of crowd unconfirmed. Likely a small group on the east side, waiting for Trump to arrive.)
12:32 p.m. NSC staff continues to discuss Trump going to the Capitol: “MilAide has confirmed that he wants to walk.” “They are begging him to reconsider.”
Trump at the Ellipse:
12:37 p.m. Trump: “The only way that that can happen is for Mike Pence to send it back.” (Trump makes seven total references to Pence in his speech.)
12:38 p.m. During Trump’s speech, a man in the crowd talks to someone about going to the Capitol sooner rather than later: “The issue is that he’s talking, and we’ve got to get there on the Capitol at 1:00. And he’s still talking.”
12:45 p.m. Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Charles Donohoe have led their group to the Peace Monument, at the northwest corner of the Peace Circle of Capitol Hill.
12:45 p.m. Police respond to a report there’s a pipe bomb outside the RNC headquarters, which is a direct line opposite the Peace Monument, to the southeast corner of Capitol Hill. Thirty minutes later, a similar device is found outside the DNC headquarters. The bombs were outfitted with timers. (The placement and timing indicates these devices were meant to distract law enforcement away from the spot the Proud Boys would gather. The bombs were planted the previous night.)
12:46 p.m. NSC staff continues to discuss Trump going to the Capitol: “current route will be 15th to F, F to 6th, 6th to Penn,. Penn to the Capital [sic].”
12:45 p.m. Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Charles Donohoe have led their group to the Peace Monument, at the northwest corner of the Peace Circle of Capitol Hill.
12:45 p.m. Police respond to a report there’s a pipe bomb outside the RNC headquarters, which is a direct line opposite the Peace Monument, to the southeast corner of Capitol Hill. Thirty minutes later, a similar device is found outside the DNC headquarters. The bombs were outfitted with timers. (The placement and timing indicates these devices were meant to distract law enforcement away from the spot the Proud Boys would gather. The bombs were planted the previous night.)
12:46 p.m. NSC staff continues to discuss Trump going to the Capitol: “current route will be 15th to F, F to 6th, 6th to Penn,. Penn to the Capital [sic].”
Trump at the Ellipse:
12:46 p.m. Trump speaks of his call with Brian Raffensperger: “In Georgia, your secretary of state—I can’t believe this guy’s a Republican. He loves recording telephone calls. I thought that was a great conversation, personally. So did a lot of others. People loved that conversation!”
12:47 p.m. NSC staff continues to chat about Trump going to the Capitol: “So this is happening.”
12:49 p.m. Large group of Trump supporters walk up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol. The march is illegal without a permit. Marchers seem unaware they are doing anything wrong. Some wear patriotic costumes, tri-cornered hats. Looks like a parade. Patriotic music plays. No cops in sight.
12:50 p.m. Proud Boys gather at the Peace Circle. Police guard Capitol Hill with bike racks. Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs leads the crowd in a chant: “We love Trump! We love Trump!” Biggs is recorded huddling with a red-hatted man (Ryan Samsel) carrying a Trump Rambo flag. (Biggs, a former staffer of Alex Jones’ InfoWars, had previously posted that lawmakers should be “dragged out of office and hung.” After his arrest for the January 6th attack, Samsel, a man with a history of violence, would advocate using a wood-chipper against elected officials.) Biggs and fellow Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola are seen wearing earpieces attached to walkie-talkies.
12:49 p.m. Large group of Trump supporters walk up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol. The march is illegal without a permit. Marchers seem unaware they are doing anything wrong. Some wear patriotic costumes, tri-cornered hats. Looks like a parade. Patriotic music plays. No cops in sight.
12:50 p.m. Proud Boys gather at the Peace Circle. Police guard Capitol Hill with bike racks. Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs leads the crowd in a chant: “We love Trump! We love Trump!” Biggs is recorded huddling with a red-hatted man (Ryan Samsel) carrying a Trump Rambo flag. (Biggs, a former staffer of Alex Jones’ InfoWars, had previously posted that lawmakers should be “dragged out of office and hung.” After his arrest for the January 6th attack, Samsel, a man with a history of violence, would advocate using a wood-chipper against elected officials.) Biggs and fellow Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola are seen wearing earpieces attached to walkie-talkies.
12:52 p.m. Oath Keepers are seen leaving Trump's speech. At the Ellipse, they are wearing hoodies. Soon they dress in full military gear.
12:52 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund receives word of a pipe bomb at the RNC building, and he immediately sends officers and resources to the scene. (Sund would write: “We responded immediately to coordinate and send resources to the scene, including a number of officers, officials, and a bomb squad. We also dispatched resources to look for other explosive devices, suspects, and vehicles. At almost the exactly same time, we observed a large group of individuals approaching the West Front of the Capitol. When the group arrived at the perimeter, they did not act like any group of protesters I had ever seen. Unlike other heated protests, these protesters did not simply congregate to angrily voice their grievances. As soon as this group arrived at our perimeter, they immediately began to fight violently with the officers. It was immediately clear that their primary goal was to defeat our perimeter as quickly as possible and to get past the police line.”)
Near the Peace Circle, Biggs and Samsel huddle before Samsel charges police
Ryan Samsel chats with Joe Biggs before charging police
After talking to Biggs, Samsel leads the crowd toward the police
12:52 p.m. Led by Ryan Samsel and others, the Proud Boy group make its first move against the police barrier on the west side.
The first breach of police barriers at the Capitol Building, west side
12:53 p.m. Trump supporters chanting "USA! USA!" breach the west Capitol fencing and plow over cops. A man (Ryan Samsel) wearing a red MAGA hat pushes on the right side of the fencing and knocks a female police officer to the ground, giving her a concussion.
Breach of the police barrier
12:53 p.m. Following the initial breach near the Peace Circle, the Proud Boys and others cross the police line and rush toward Capitol, west side.
12:53 p.m. Another breach occurs a little south of the Peace Circle crowd. This group seems hesitant to trespass, until a few individuals move a piece of fencing and beckons the crowd to follow. No police are visible. At first only a few individuals dare go on the lawn—about a dozen. Woman yells, “Don’t do it! Don’t do it!” Man replies: “They don’t realize they’re going to get shot out there.”
12:54 p.m. Crowds chanting “USA! USA!” fully breach the police line on the west side.
12:53 p.m. Another breach occurs a little south of the Peace Circle crowd. This group seems hesitant to trespass, until a few individuals move a piece of fencing and beckons the crowd to follow. No police are visible. At first only a few individuals dare go on the lawn—about a dozen. Woman yells, “Don’t do it! Don’t do it!” Man replies: “They don’t realize they’re going to get shot out there.”
12:54 p.m. Crowds chanting “USA! USA!” fully breach the police line on the west side.
12:56 p.m. Rioter Aaron Mostofsky is seen crossing the lawn toward the Capitol Building, where an angry crowd of a few hundred to a thousand people has gathered, likely from the first breach of the police line. Police work to contain. Overheard: “We’re storming the Capitol!” The crowd chants: “Our house!” “Drain the swamp!” “Let us in!” “Fix this sh**!”
12:57 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Capitol Police are reporting multiple breaches in their anti-scaling fence.”
12:57 p.m. Proud Boys, including Dominic Pezzola (“Spazzo”), fight with police at the base of the Capitol Building.
12:57 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Capitol Police are reporting multiple breaches in their anti-scaling fence.”
12:57 p.m. Proud Boys, including Dominic Pezzola (“Spazzo”), fight with police at the base of the Capitol Building.
Proud Boys and others charge police near the inaugural platform (west side)
12:57 p.m. Crowd reaches the base of the inaugural platform. Situation becomes more tense. Man climbs scaffolding. Crowd boos as police tackle him. Metro Police forms a line to protect Capitol. (About 53 were called.) “We want in!” Several Gadsden, American, and Trump flags are visible, as well as rainbow flags and “F*** Biden” signs.
12:58 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund calls House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving for National Guard assistance.
1:00 p.m. Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola is spotted on the front lines with a wire in his ear.
1:00 p.m. The Joint Session of Congress formally begins, as required by law. Mike Pence enters the Senate chambers.
1:00 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Capitol is now calling for all available to respond.” “They have taken over the stage over there.”
1:02 p.m. Crowd streams onto lawn in large numbers from National Mall. No fence is visible. Woman shouts, “F***ing patriots! Woo! Let’s go!”
12:58 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund calls House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving for National Guard assistance.
1:00 p.m. Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola is spotted on the front lines with a wire in his ear.
1:00 p.m. The Joint Session of Congress formally begins, as required by law. Mike Pence enters the Senate chambers.
1:00 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Capitol is now calling for all available to respond.” “They have taken over the stage over there.”
1:02 p.m. Crowd streams onto lawn in large numbers from National Mall. No fence is visible. Woman shouts, “F***ing patriots! Woo! Let’s go!”
Trump at the Ellipse:
1:03 p.m. Trump: “We won in a landslide. This was a landslide. They said it’s not American to challenge the election. This was the most corrupt election in history—maybe in the world!”
1:04 p.m. Trump: “It’s so crazy that people don’t even believe it. It can’t be true! So they don’t believe it. This is not just a matter of domestic politics. This is a matter of national security.”
1:05 p.m. Up the street, a parade of Trump supporters flood Pennsylvania Avenue for the illegal march to the Capitol that Trump directed. No cops in sight, since no permit was secured. QAnon Shaman revs the crowd with chants: “USA!” “Freedom!”
1:05 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund calls Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger, who is in the chambers.
1:05 p.m. [approximate time] Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes, at an unknown location near the rally, posts to his group in an encrypted Signal chat, “Pence is doing nothing. As I predicted.” Rhodes stands back as others approach the Capitol, where he once worked as a staffer for Congressman Ron Paul.
1:06 p.m. At the Ellipse, Trump’s speech continues. An enormous American flag surfs above the crowd.
1:06 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “about to use non-lethal force at the Capitol.”
1:07 p.m. Proud Boy leaders Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Robert Gieswein, and other Proud Boys gather to the front line of the Capitol steps. (Biggs is a former InfoWars staffer. Nordean was spotted with Roger Stone at the “Stop the Steal” protest December 12, 2020, in D.C.)
1:05 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund calls Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger, who is in the chambers.
1:05 p.m. [approximate time] Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes, at an unknown location near the rally, posts to his group in an encrypted Signal chat, “Pence is doing nothing. As I predicted.” Rhodes stands back as others approach the Capitol, where he once worked as a staffer for Congressman Ron Paul.
1:06 p.m. At the Ellipse, Trump’s speech continues. An enormous American flag surfs above the crowd.
1:06 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “about to use non-lethal force at the Capitol.”
1:07 p.m. Proud Boy leaders Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Robert Gieswein, and other Proud Boys gather to the front line of the Capitol steps. (Biggs is a former InfoWars staffer. Nordean was spotted with Roger Stone at the “Stop the Steal” protest December 12, 2020, in D.C.)
Trump at the Ellipse:
1:08 p.m. Trump praises crowd size: “I think we have 250,000 people. 250,000! Looking out at all the amazing patriots here today, I have never been more confident in our nation’s future. Well, I have to say, we have to be a little bit careful. That’s a nice statement, but we have to be a little careful with that statement. If we allow this group of people to illegally take over our country—because it’s illegal when the votes are illegal. When the way they got there is illegal. When the states that vote are given false and fraudulent information. We are the greatest country on earth, and we are headed—and were headed—in the right direction.”
1:09 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund tells his superiors he needs the National Guard. (Within minutes, D.C. National Guardsmen are ready two miles away, waiting for the president to give an order. They sit for hours, fully equipped but unable to protect the Capitol without the president’s direction.)
1:10 p.m. Alex Jones is spotted at a water fountain with a megaphone, directing the crowd to march. Location could be Pennsylvania Avenue. Jones: “We are so blessed that President Donald Trump is standing against this fraud defiantly. The new world order is on the run. That is why they’re having to steal these elections! We declare 1776 against the new world order!” Trump supporters cheer. (Jones would say on his show the next day that the “White House” asked him three days ahead to lead the march.)
1:10 p.m. Trump closes his speech. “We fight like hell. If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
"Fight like hell"
1:10 p.m. Trump: “Our exciting adventures and boldest endeavors have not yet begun. My fellow Americans, for our movement, for our children, and for our beloved country—and I say this despite all that’s happened—the best is yet to come. So, we’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue—I love Pennsylvania Avenue—and we’re going to the Capitol.”
"We're going to the Capitol"
1:10 p.m. Crowd at the Capitol has grown considerably. Rageful man gives an exuberant pep talk to crowd: “What are we waiting for?! We already voted, and what have they done?! They stole it! We want our f***ing country back! Let’s take it!” Pounds his fist. “C’mon! C’mon! C’mon! Let’s go! Everybody, together!” The man is likely agitated that ten minutes has passed since the House and Senate were to begin the count.
West side, rageful man (possibly Kevin Greeson, who died of a heart attack an hour later) yells: "Let's take it!"
Trump at the Ellipse:
1:11 p.m. Trump: “The Democrats are hopeless. They’re never voting for anything, not even one vote. We’re going to try and give our Republicans—the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help. We’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country. So, let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.” Speech ends. Trump does not join the crowd.
1:12 p.m. Trump stays on stage for a minute and claps to “YMCA,” dances, pumps fist.
1:12 p.m. On the House floor, Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ) objects to certifying the Arizona electoral votes, on behalf of 60 Republican House members. Vice President Mike Pence asks whether a Senator has signed the objection. Sen. Ted Cruz stands and confirms he signed the objection. The objection is read, and Pence declares the two houses will withdraw from joint session to deliberate separately: “The Senate will now retire to its chamber.” (This review is expected to take roughly two hours.)
1:13 p.m. Police struggle to hold the west front of the Capitol.
Police struggle to hold the west front of the Capitol. (1:13 pm)
1:14 p.m. Ivanka Trump is seen leaving the rally. “YMCA” plays in the background. Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump leave a minute later. Following behind are Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump.
1:14 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “MOGUL heading to motorcade.”
1:15 p.m. [approximate time] Second pipe bomb is found, this time at the DNC headquarters, to the south of the Capitol.
1:14 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “MOGUL heading to motorcade.”
1:15 p.m. [approximate time] Second pipe bomb is found, this time at the DNC headquarters, to the south of the Capitol.
1:16 p.m. Donald Trump leaves the rally, intent on going to the Capitol.
1:16 p.m. Metro Police commander Robert Glover radios for backup: “Multiple Capitol injuries! Multiple Capitol injuries!” Another officer: “We’re coming around from the south side.” Dispatcher: “Be advised, the speech has ended.” Another dispatcher: “Intel 1, be advised, you’ve got a group of about fifty charging up the hill on the west front, just north of the stairs. They are approaching the wall now.” Glover: “They’re throwing metal poles at us! Give me DSO up here now! Multiple law enforcement injuries!”
1:17 p.m. Someone films from scaffolding above the crowd on the west side. Crowd chants “USA! USA!” “Fight for Trump!” Sirens. Trump signs say, “Trump won.”
1:16 p.m. Metro Police commander Robert Glover radios for backup: “Multiple Capitol injuries! Multiple Capitol injuries!” Another officer: “We’re coming around from the south side.” Dispatcher: “Be advised, the speech has ended.” Another dispatcher: “Intel 1, be advised, you’ve got a group of about fifty charging up the hill on the west front, just north of the stairs. They are approaching the wall now.” Glover: “They’re throwing metal poles at us! Give me DSO up here now! Multiple law enforcement injuries!”
1:17 p.m. Someone films from scaffolding above the crowd on the west side. Crowd chants “USA! USA!” “Fight for Trump!” Sirens. Trump signs say, “Trump won.”
The mob has swelled to the thousands
1:17 p.m. Bloomberg reporter Mario Parker texts Mark Meadows: “Hey Chief, that Pence statement hit while he was still speaking. Was potus unaware that he was releasing that?” And, “Will he be admonished for that?”
1:17 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Looks like he is coming home for now.”
1:18 p.m. Officers in riot gear have arrived at the Capitol. A few dozen rioters rush through, possibly carrying someone on a stretcher.
1:20 p.m. Man records growing crowd headed from Trump speech to the west Capitol lawn. “We’re about to storm the f***ing Capitol. We’re going break the doors down.”
1:20 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Mogul in Oval.”
1:21 p.m. [approximate time] In the Oval Office, President Trump is informed the Capitol is under attack. The White House photographer takes one photo before being told no photographs.
1:17 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Looks like he is coming home for now.”
1:18 p.m. Officers in riot gear have arrived at the Capitol. A few dozen rioters rush through, possibly carrying someone on a stretcher.
1:20 p.m. Man records growing crowd headed from Trump speech to the west Capitol lawn. “We’re about to storm the f***ing Capitol. We’re going break the doors down.”
1:20 p.m. NSC staff continues to text about Trump going to the Capitol: “Mogul in Oval.”
1:21 p.m. [approximate time] In the Oval Office, President Trump is informed the Capitol is under attack. The White House photographer takes one photo before being told no photographs.
After being denied a trip to the Capitol, Trump is informed of the attack. He takes no action.
1:21 p.m. Man broadcasts outside the west side of the Capitol. Crowds form on Capitol lawn. Most people are standing around or walking calmly. Cops attempt to deter crowd from going further with flash bangs. Man reports, “Pence just rejected Arizona’s vote, and these people are pis*ed. Look at all of this, all the way down the national mall. President Trump is here at the Capitol Building with us. We saw the motorcade. Sh*t is about to get real.”
1:22 p.m. Sign on the way to the Capitol: “F*** BIDEN. AND F*** YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM.”
1:24 p.m. Young man in Trump hat strolls to the Capitol: “Hey guys, Soldier Dabbs here. Thank you to all of you who donated to get me here.”
1:22 p.m. Sign on the way to the Capitol: “F*** BIDEN. AND F*** YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM.”
1:24 p.m. Young man in Trump hat strolls to the Capitol: “Hey guys, Soldier Dabbs here. Thank you to all of you who donated to get me here.”
1:25 p.m. Rather than do anything to stop the riot, Donald Trump begins resting in the White House dining room, where he will watch Fox News reports for 187 minutes.
1:25 p.m. Crowd becomes increasingly hostile to police near the building on the west side. Recording shows vulgar hand gestures, profanity, angry boos directed at police from the Trump crowd. Police deploy flashbangs. Crowd yells, “This is our house!” Man with bullhorn directs, “Patriots, push forward! Push forward! Get them on the run.” Irate woman screams, “They’re shooting into their own people! We’re supposed to be supporting Blue Lives Matter. We represent blue lives, and this is what they do to us?”
1:26 p.m. Capitol Police issue an order to evacuate the Capitol complex.
1:26 p.m. “Push forward, patriots! Push forward!” yells a man with a bullhorn on the west side. Crowd chants, “Stop the steal!” The crowd notices a woman having a medical event. Man asks his companion, “Why’d we come up here?”
1:25 p.m. Crowd becomes increasingly hostile to police near the building on the west side. Recording shows vulgar hand gestures, profanity, angry boos directed at police from the Trump crowd. Police deploy flashbangs. Crowd yells, “This is our house!” Man with bullhorn directs, “Patriots, push forward! Push forward! Get them on the run.” Irate woman screams, “They’re shooting into their own people! We’re supposed to be supporting Blue Lives Matter. We represent blue lives, and this is what they do to us?”
1:26 p.m. Capitol Police issue an order to evacuate the Capitol complex.
1:26 p.m. “Push forward, patriots! Push forward!” yells a man with a bullhorn on the west side. Crowd chants, “Stop the steal!” The crowd notices a woman having a medical event. Man asks his companion, “Why’d we come up here?”
Rioters watch woman receive CPR. Man: "Why'd we come up here?"
1:26 p.m. Man in his 50s or 60s records himself saying, “Blocking the doors. Won’t let us in. We gotta storm the place. We goin’ in.”
1:27 p.m. Woman on the northeast side of the Capitol falsely reports, “We’re here outside the Capitol. Pence has just de-certified Arizona, and that means he is cooperating with our chief and executive president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. We are waiting for his arrival, when he will enter the chambers of the Congress. And here he comes.” Sirens blare. A single police van arrives at the Capitol—obviously not Trump. “Momentarily,” the woman anticipates, as she and other Trump supporters stand behind police barriers, patiently waiting for him to arrive.
1:27 p.m. On the west side, tensions rise. The mob clashes with police, but it is still contained.
1:28 p.m. People chant on west side, “F*** Joe Biden!”
1:28 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:29 p.m. Crowd on west side grows in size and restlessness. Middle-aged man with patriotic hard hat commands near cameraman, “On the sidelines, you cowards, let’s go! Let’s go! Into our building!” Younger man replies, “I don’t want to get in trouble.”
1:30 p.m. Major General William Walker is aware of Metropolitan Police officers being sent to the Capitol. Walker is not authorized to send D.C. National Guard troops for the need, per the January 4th memorandum.
1:32 p.m. On the west side, the Capitol lawn fills up and an even larger mass of people can be seen coming up the national mall. The crowd stands staring at the building. Some shout obscenities about Democrats. Flash bangs continue, and the crowd cheers. Man yells, “You can’t scare us! We want our country back!” Flash bangs continue. “Yeah, baby! Bring it!”
1:27 p.m. Woman on the northeast side of the Capitol falsely reports, “We’re here outside the Capitol. Pence has just de-certified Arizona, and that means he is cooperating with our chief and executive president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. We are waiting for his arrival, when he will enter the chambers of the Congress. And here he comes.” Sirens blare. A single police van arrives at the Capitol—obviously not Trump. “Momentarily,” the woman anticipates, as she and other Trump supporters stand behind police barriers, patiently waiting for him to arrive.
1:27 p.m. On the west side, tensions rise. The mob clashes with police, but it is still contained.
1:28 p.m. People chant on west side, “F*** Joe Biden!”
1:28 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:29 p.m. Crowd on west side grows in size and restlessness. Middle-aged man with patriotic hard hat commands near cameraman, “On the sidelines, you cowards, let’s go! Let’s go! Into our building!” Younger man replies, “I don’t want to get in trouble.”
1:30 p.m. Major General William Walker is aware of Metropolitan Police officers being sent to the Capitol. Walker is not authorized to send D.C. National Guard troops for the need, per the January 4th memorandum.
1:32 p.m. On the west side, the Capitol lawn fills up and an even larger mass of people can be seen coming up the national mall. The crowd stands staring at the building. Some shout obscenities about Democrats. Flash bangs continue, and the crowd cheers. Man yells, “You can’t scare us! We want our country back!” Flash bangs continue. “Yeah, baby! Bring it!”
Thousands continue arriving at the Capitol, where Trump said he would be
1:33 p.m. Smoke bombs are launched into the crowd on the west side. People scream obscenities at police: “F*** you! F***ing traitors!”
1:34 p.m. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pleads with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy for federal intervention with the mob. Bowser is denied her request.
1:34 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:34 p.m. Irate man on west side yells at police, “This is democracy! This is what you get with rule of the mob!” Man replies, “Yeah. That’s what democracy is.”
1:34 p.m. “Hands up, don’t shoot,” the crowd mocks police. Smoke bombs continue. Someone says, “F**ing war zone out here, boys.” Camera tilts, as crowd dodges smoke bombs. A pitchfork is seen.
1:34 p.m. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pleads with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy for federal intervention with the mob. Bowser is denied her request.
1:34 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:34 p.m. Irate man on west side yells at police, “This is democracy! This is what you get with rule of the mob!” Man replies, “Yeah. That’s what democracy is.”
1:34 p.m. “Hands up, don’t shoot,” the crowd mocks police. Smoke bombs continue. Someone says, “F**ing war zone out here, boys.” Camera tilts, as crowd dodges smoke bombs. A pitchfork is seen.
1:35 p.m. In the Senate chambers, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) opens his remarks. He speaks for over eight minutes. McConnell challenges Trump’s claims the election was stolen: “The courts have rejected these claims.” “Every election features some illegality and of course some irregularities, and that’s unacceptable. . . . But my colleagues, nothing proves illegality anywhere near the massive scale that would have tipped the election. Nor can public doubt alone justify a radical break when that doubt was incited without evidence. The Constitution gives us a limited role. We cannot simply declare ourselves a national Board of Elections on steroids. The voters, the courts, the states have all spoken. If we overrule them, it would damage our republic forever. . . . The electoral college would soon cease to exist, leaving the citizens of entire states with no real say in choosing presidents.”
1:36 p.m. On Pennsylvania Avenue, the massive crowd continues its march. Alex Jones is spotted in the crowd. Someone says, “Alex, this is your revolution, buddy!”
1:37 p.m. Police struggle to hold back the crowd. One officer radios: “We are going to give riot warnings. We are going to try and get compliance. This is now effectively a riot!”
1:38 p.m. Man walks up the street, recording, “Trump’s speech is over. It was awesome. It went over all the voter fraud. I am very concerned about Mike Pence. I have no idea what he’s going to do. I did not love the way the president talked about that, and I don’t know. We’ll see. Anyways, we’re walking over to the Capitol right now, and maybe we’ll break down the doors!”
1:39 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:42 p.m. Crowd on west side chants with growing fervor. People climb the inaugural scaffolding.
1:44 p.m. (approximate time) Sen. McConnell completes his remarks in the Senate chambers.
1:37 p.m. Police struggle to hold back the crowd. One officer radios: “We are going to give riot warnings. We are going to try and get compliance. This is now effectively a riot!”
1:38 p.m. Man walks up the street, recording, “Trump’s speech is over. It was awesome. It went over all the voter fraud. I am very concerned about Mike Pence. I have no idea what he’s going to do. I did not love the way the president talked about that, and I don’t know. We’ll see. Anyways, we’re walking over to the Capitol right now, and maybe we’ll break down the doors!”
1:39 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:42 p.m. Crowd on west side chants with growing fervor. People climb the inaugural scaffolding.
1:44 p.m. (approximate time) Sen. McConnell completes his remarks in the Senate chambers.
1:44 p.m. Inspector Glover, who is fighting the crowd on the west side, desperately radios: “Cruiser 50 to 8600. When are the hard platoons coming?” Dispatcher: “There’s [platoon] 42. It’s the only other one until later.” Glover: “Cruiser 50. They are scaling the scaffold! They are scaling the scaffold to the Capitol!” Glover is forced to personally fire crowd control agents into the crowd. A moment later, Glover radios: “Cruiser 50. They are behind our lines!” Dispatcher: “You need to pull back our resources. If you need to, go inside or pull back, if they’re getting behind you. You don’t have enough resources.” Glover: “If I give this up, they’re going to have direct access! We’ve got to hold what we have!”
Oath Keepers march with crowd to the Capitol in tactical gear
1:45 p.m. Man in his 60s berates police protecting the west side, “You know d*** well what you’re doing is wrong.” He urges the police to side with the crowd.
1:45 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:45 p.m. Trump supporters continue to gather on the east side, waiting his arrival. The crowd stayed behind the police barrier, but it is now growing restless and starts to push through the fencing, before officers quickly restore the barrier. Crowd: “We’re trying to get to the people’s house!”
1:45 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund again calls for National Guard assistance.
1:45 p.m. Trump supporters continue to gather on the east side, waiting his arrival. The crowd stayed behind the police barrier, but it is now growing restless and starts to push through the fencing, before officers quickly restore the barrier. Crowd: “We’re trying to get to the people’s house!”
Police contain restless crowd on east side
1:46 p.m. Crowd with full view of the east side stands behind police barrier, yelling, “Stop the steal!” Heavy metal music blares.
1:46 p.m. Crowd on west side stands and yells, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!” They have not yet breached the building. “The world is watching us!” They mockingly cheer smoke bombs.
1:48 p.m. Alex Jones walks on the west Capitol lawn. He is limping slightly and eying the crowd ahead. Someone explains to him, “That’s the Capitol Police. They are trying to blame the crowd.” Ali Alexander follows to Jones’ left.
1:46 p.m. Crowd on west side stands and yells, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!” They have not yet breached the building. “The world is watching us!” They mockingly cheer smoke bombs.
1:48 p.m. Alex Jones walks on the west Capitol lawn. He is limping slightly and eying the crowd ahead. Someone explains to him, “That’s the Capitol Police. They are trying to blame the crowd.” Ali Alexander follows to Jones’ left.
Alex Jones and Ali Alexander begin leading the crowd to the west side, effectively surrounding the Capitol
1:48 p.m. At stairs on the west side, Proud Boy Daniel Scott (AKA Milkshake) leads mob to shove and assault cops. Heard in the crowd: “This is our f***ing house!” “This is a revolution!” “We fight back! They touch us, we hit ‘em back!” Woman yells to police, “What’s wrong with you?” The crowd pushes the cops up the stairs, saying, “F*** you!” “Take the stairs!” A man with a stolen police shield—Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola—is seen storming the steps, paving the way for others.
Proud Boys force cops up the west stairs
1:48 p.m. Man named John, wearing a Trump hat, is interviewed on west side, “I was up here, praying for a cop who shot me in the face.” Someone replies, “That doesn’t surprise me.” John continues, “I was up here, peacefully praying for a police officer, when I was shot in the face with a flash-bang grenade. I can’t hear out of my left ear. I have second-degree burns all over my face. My hair caught on fire. I can barely see out of this eye.”
1:49 p.m. Metro Police officer radios in distress: “We’re going to give riot warnings as soon as the LRAD is here. We’re going to give riot warnings. We’re going to try to get compliance. This is effectively a riot!”
1:49 p.m. Metro Police officer radios in distress: “We’re going to give riot warnings as soon as the LRAD is here. We’re going to give riot warnings. We’re going to try to get compliance. This is effectively a riot!”
"It's our house!" yells Trump supporter lunging at police, west side. Police defend in hand-to-hand combat.
1:49 p.m. Back at the White House, as his supporters riot at the Capitol, Trump retweets a clip of his rally speech with the line, “You’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”
1:49 p.m. Crowd at the inaugural platform chants “freedom!” and then it cheers at the sight of police scrambling toward the breach.
1:49 p.m. to 1:52 p.m. Farther back in the crowd, most people are still standing around on the lawn. Alex Jones is seen atop construction equipment addressing the people with a bullhorn. Man marvels that there are possibly millions of people still coming.
1:49 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund requests Major General William Walker of the D.C. National Guard to send emergency assistance. Walker immediately alerts Army leadership. Walker’s request is stalled by the defense department for over three hours.
1:49 p.m. Crowd at the inaugural platform chants “freedom!” and then it cheers at the sight of police scrambling toward the breach.
1:49 p.m. to 1:52 p.m. Farther back in the crowd, most people are still standing around on the lawn. Alex Jones is seen atop construction equipment addressing the people with a bullhorn. Man marvels that there are possibly millions of people still coming.
1:49 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund requests Major General William Walker of the D.C. National Guard to send emergency assistance. Walker immediately alerts Army leadership. Walker’s request is stalled by the defense department for over three hours.
Alex Jones: Trump will come to the east side of the Capitol when "we've taken this over!"
1:51 p.m. Alex Jones is joined by Ali Alexander and Owen Shroyer on a make-shift platform of construction materials. Through a megaphone, he shouts, “Trump is not going to come until we’ve taken this over! We’re not Antifa. We're not BLM. You’re amazing, I love you! Let’s march around to the other side!” He directs the crowd to start marching to the east side of the Capitol, “where we have a stage, where we can speak and occupy peacefully.” The crowd yells, “Surround the Capitol!” “To the front of the Capitol! Go!” Jones repeats, “History is happening! I salute you! Tell everyone you know, go to the other side of the Capitol! That’s where Trump’s going to be!” (This leads to a massive barrage of people mowing over police barricades on the east side.)
1:51 p.m. Forty-two minutes after requesting the National Guard, and being denied, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund requests more local police support.
1:51 p.m. On Twitter, radio host Dr. Michael D. Brown blames left-wing groups for the chaos unfolding at the Capitol: “Antifa or BLM or other insurgents could be doing it disguised as Trump supporters.” Shortly afterward, Todd Herman, guest host on the Rush Limbaugh Show, spreads the speculation to a wider audience: “Michael points out, I think correctly so, that it’s probably not Trump supporters who would do that. Antifa, BLM, that’s what they do.”
1:51 p.m. Forty-two minutes after requesting the National Guard, and being denied, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund requests more local police support.
1:51 p.m. On Twitter, radio host Dr. Michael D. Brown blames left-wing groups for the chaos unfolding at the Capitol: “Antifa or BLM or other insurgents could be doing it disguised as Trump supporters.” Shortly afterward, Todd Herman, guest host on the Rush Limbaugh Show, spreads the speculation to a wider audience: “Michael points out, I think correctly so, that it’s probably not Trump supporters who would do that. Antifa, BLM, that’s what they do.”
1:52 p.m. At the Senate floor, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) calls for a ten-day audit of the election, based on polling showing 39% of country believed the election was “rigged.” Cruz advocates for recreating the kind of congressional electoral commission that decided the 1876 presidential election. A ten-day electoral commission of five Senators, five House members, and five Supreme Court justices reviewed the 1876 election and gave the victory to Rutherford B. Hayes by one vote. Cruz calls for a return to that type of review, and invokes the 1887 Electoral Count Act, which actually prevents the 1876 scenario from happening again. (The 1887 Act requires states to certify their elections six days before the Electoral College meeting, thus making state electoral results “conclusive” when Congress convenes to certify the presidential election.)
With Congress in session, the threat of a breach grows on the west side.
1:53 p.m. Police block the crowd under the inaugural scaffolding (west). Irate man with foul language records, “We’re at the door! We’re right here! We’re coming in! You’re not stopping us now!”
1:53 p.m. Near the inaugural platform, the crowd more vigorously chants, “USA!” Someone says, “We have nothing to lose.” Someone yells, “Set it on fire! BURN IT! BURN IT!”
1:54 p.m. Man records for five minutes on west side, complaining that they are being gassed by police, “way back in the back here. . . . Nobody’s actually doing anything. I guess if we were Antifa, we would be OK.” He says, “all the people here are peaceful.” Woman yells, “F*** the cops!” The man recording says the people inside the building “need to be scared.”
1:56 p.m. West side crowd continues to be undeterred by smoke bombs. Man yells at police, “F*** you!” Woman complains, “They’re going to fire on Americans, those bast****. Stop the steal! This is our house!” Someone yells, “They’re treating us like China!” Crowd chants, “We the people!”
1:57 p.m. Crowd marching from the west side reaches the police barriers to the east side, where Alex Jones told them to be. Protesters easily slide barrier fencing in front of a handful of police. Once this happens, all the fencing is just moved away, and people flood through.
1:53 p.m. Near the inaugural platform, the crowd more vigorously chants, “USA!” Someone says, “We have nothing to lose.” Someone yells, “Set it on fire! BURN IT! BURN IT!”
1:54 p.m. Man records for five minutes on west side, complaining that they are being gassed by police, “way back in the back here. . . . Nobody’s actually doing anything. I guess if we were Antifa, we would be OK.” He says, “all the people here are peaceful.” Woman yells, “F*** the cops!” The man recording says the people inside the building “need to be scared.”
1:56 p.m. West side crowd continues to be undeterred by smoke bombs. Man yells at police, “F*** you!” Woman complains, “They’re going to fire on Americans, those bast****. Stop the steal! This is our house!” Someone yells, “They’re treating us like China!” Crowd chants, “We the people!”
1:57 p.m. Crowd marching from the west side reaches the police barriers to the east side, where Alex Jones told them to be. Protesters easily slide barrier fencing in front of a handful of police. Once this happens, all the fencing is just moved away, and people flood through.
1:58 p.m. In the Senate chambers, Sen. Amy Klobucher (D-MN) notes that Sen. Ted Cruz did not object to seating Arizona’s congressional members, despite nine being elected in the same election that certified Joe Biden. “I did not see Senator Cruz over at the swearing-in of the House of Representatives last Sunday, asking for an audit.”
1:59 p.m. Walking to the east side, Alex Jones complains about the “F***ing cops.” Someone asks where the vice president has been. Jones replies, “He uh, floundered and was neutral. He passed the ball.”
1:59 p.m. Rioters break the police line and spill into the east plaza.
1:59 p.m. Walking to the east side, Alex Jones complains about the “F***ing cops.” Someone asks where the vice president has been. Jones replies, “He uh, floundered and was neutral. He passed the ball.”
1:59 p.m. Rioters break the police line and spill into the east plaza.
Rioters breach the east plaza of the Capitol
1:59 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund receives word that the Capitol rioters are assaulting the doors and windows.
2:00 p.m. Crowd marches toward the east steps of the Capitol. Few cops are in sight. There is no stage visible, and there is no Donald Trump.
2:01 p.m. More barriers come down on the east side. Man cheers, “They’re storming the Capitol! Yeah! It’s our house.”
2:00 p.m. Crowd marches toward the east steps of the Capitol. Few cops are in sight. There is no stage visible, and there is no Donald Trump.
2:01 p.m. More barriers come down on the east side. Man cheers, “They’re storming the Capitol! Yeah! It’s our house.”
2:02 p.m. From Senate floor, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) argues that the 1876 election “is not at all analogous” to the 2020 election: “In 1877, Congress had before it two slates of electors from several states. Here, there are no Trump electors from swing states. There’s just Biden electors. Second, legislatures from the swing states have already spoken. They have made their decision. They have chosen not to send us alternative electors.” He defends the Electoral College.
2:02 p.m. Mob surrounds the D.C. police on west side. Police are maced.
2:03 p.m. Proud Boy Robert Gieswein is seen spraying police.
2:03 p.m. On west side, D.C. police are pinned together and roughed up by the mob.
2:03 p.m. Proud Boy Robert Gieswein is seen spraying police.
2:03 p.m. On west side, D.C. police are pinned together and roughed up by the mob.
Rioter uses flag pole as a weapon (west side)
2:03 p.m. Police on west side fire tear gas. Crowd yells obscenities.
2:04 p.m. Crowd at the east side swells in numbers, and chants “Stop the Steal!” A handful of Capitol police are seen at the top steps. No riot gear.
2:04 p.m. to 2:06 p.m. West side chaotic. Obscenities and abuse are directed at cops. A recorded message blares from a speaker, directing all people to leave the area immediately or be arrested. The crowd cheers in defiance.
2:05 p.m. Trump supporter Kevin Greeson, age 55, is declared dead of a heart attack at the Capitol.
2:06 p.m. Crowd floods the east stairs, outside.
2:06 p.m. Oath Keeper leader Thomas Caldwell (formerly with the FBI) texts Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins near the Capitol: “Where are you? Pence has punked out. We are screwed.” He complains the police are “teargassing peaceful protesters at capitol steps. Getting rowdy here… I am here at the dry fountain to the left of the Capitol.”
2:07 p.m. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) speaks on the Senate floor. A loud bang is audible.
2:07 p.m. West side, woman confronts police, “I deliver your paycheck! F*** you guys! You can’t even call yourself American! You broke your f***ing oath today! 1776, bi***!”
2:08 p.m. Ambulance visible on east side. Someone says, “I don’t really follow politics all the way. They are really ready to stand up to do a revolutionary war.” Person walking on Capitol grounds says to Trump supporters, “Hey, Trump asked for wild. You got it.” Folding chairs are set up on the grass for small gathering. People are possibly standing on a small platform. Voice is heard singing, “We bless the name of Jesus in this place.”
2:08 p.m. People gather on the east steps. Man filming says of Congress, “Can they hear us?”
2:08 p.m. East side, a man shattering windows is tackled by U.S. Capitol Police. Crowd chants, “We want Trump!”
2:04 p.m. Crowd at the east side swells in numbers, and chants “Stop the Steal!” A handful of Capitol police are seen at the top steps. No riot gear.
2:04 p.m. to 2:06 p.m. West side chaotic. Obscenities and abuse are directed at cops. A recorded message blares from a speaker, directing all people to leave the area immediately or be arrested. The crowd cheers in defiance.
2:05 p.m. Trump supporter Kevin Greeson, age 55, is declared dead of a heart attack at the Capitol.
2:06 p.m. Crowd floods the east stairs, outside.
2:06 p.m. Oath Keeper leader Thomas Caldwell (formerly with the FBI) texts Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins near the Capitol: “Where are you? Pence has punked out. We are screwed.” He complains the police are “teargassing peaceful protesters at capitol steps. Getting rowdy here… I am here at the dry fountain to the left of the Capitol.”
2:07 p.m. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) speaks on the Senate floor. A loud bang is audible.
2:07 p.m. West side, woman confronts police, “I deliver your paycheck! F*** you guys! You can’t even call yourself American! You broke your f***ing oath today! 1776, bi***!”
2:08 p.m. Ambulance visible on east side. Someone says, “I don’t really follow politics all the way. They are really ready to stand up to do a revolutionary war.” Person walking on Capitol grounds says to Trump supporters, “Hey, Trump asked for wild. You got it.” Folding chairs are set up on the grass for small gathering. People are possibly standing on a small platform. Voice is heard singing, “We bless the name of Jesus in this place.”
2:08 p.m. People gather on the east steps. Man filming says of Congress, “Can they hear us?”
2:08 p.m. East side, a man shattering windows is tackled by U.S. Capitol Police. Crowd chants, “We want Trump!”
Man breaking east windows gets tackled by police
2:09 p.m. Giant flag is being passed among crowd on west side, originally seen at the Trump event. (Two giant flags were transported. Video from Peace Monument shows tremendous crowd.)
2:09 p.m. John Sullivan video begins on west side, with Aaron Mostofsky visible. Mob stands under scaffolding and then a group rushes toward the west Capitol steps. Sullivan follows. QAnon Shaman is visible. Only a handful of Capitol Police are at the top, behind flimsy fencing. Crowd erupts in celebration and approval.
2:09 p.m. View from the lawn: first line of rioters storms the west steps. Cheering, jubilation from the crowd. Drums. Woman yells, “Jesus, protect them! Don’t let one of them get hurt, Jesus! Protect them!” Others are heard nearby: “What are you going to do when there’s no justice?” “Yeah! No justice, no peace!” “We’re trying to get people going [inside the Capitol].” “God bless America!” “I love it.” “Freedom!” “Whose house? Our house!”
2:10 p.m. The Capitol Police Board grants Chief Steven Sund approval to seek National Guard assistance. The request now awaits clearance from the Defense Department.
2:10 p.m. East side, crowd rushes steps. Intensity has increased. Crowd chants, “Stop the steal!” Man on steps timidly records: “Going back now. Cops were shooting at us for a while. They stopped. We’re up on the Capitol. I think they’re going to breach the doors. Get inside. It’s getting serious. Somebody is going to die here, today. Not good at all.” People push past him to get higher: “Coming through!”
2:10 p.m. West side, crowd chants, “Fight for Trump!”
2:10 p.m. West lawn. “They’re tear-gassing us! They’re tear-gassing patriots!”
2:10 p.m. Inaugural platform holds only police. Crowd pushes closer. Tear gas. Signs: “Come and take it,” “God’s word calls dem out,” “President Trump,” “F*** Biden,” American flags, upside-down flag.
2:11 p.m. Random man debates in the midst of the crowd on west lawn: “If a woman has the right to choose, who chooses for the baby, then? God gave us the choice, He gave us free will, not to murder our own.”
2:11 p.m. Crowd rushes west steps under scaffolding. Sign: “America first! Never surrender!”
2:11 p.m. Man smokes triumphantly in front of east side: “Spreading good vibes.” Background chant: “We want Trump! We want Trump!”
2:11 p.m. Rioters rush to Capitol windows and door on west side, near Senate chambers. “Yeah! Get into the f***ing Capitol Building!” They pound on windows and door. One man says, “Don’t break the windows, bro!” Wooden board is thrust into window. Men pound on the door. “We need Mike Pence! We need Mike Pence!”
2:09 p.m. John Sullivan video begins on west side, with Aaron Mostofsky visible. Mob stands under scaffolding and then a group rushes toward the west Capitol steps. Sullivan follows. QAnon Shaman is visible. Only a handful of Capitol Police are at the top, behind flimsy fencing. Crowd erupts in celebration and approval.
2:09 p.m. View from the lawn: first line of rioters storms the west steps. Cheering, jubilation from the crowd. Drums. Woman yells, “Jesus, protect them! Don’t let one of them get hurt, Jesus! Protect them!” Others are heard nearby: “What are you going to do when there’s no justice?” “Yeah! No justice, no peace!” “We’re trying to get people going [inside the Capitol].” “God bless America!” “I love it.” “Freedom!” “Whose house? Our house!”
2:10 p.m. The Capitol Police Board grants Chief Steven Sund approval to seek National Guard assistance. The request now awaits clearance from the Defense Department.
2:10 p.m. East side, crowd rushes steps. Intensity has increased. Crowd chants, “Stop the steal!” Man on steps timidly records: “Going back now. Cops were shooting at us for a while. They stopped. We’re up on the Capitol. I think they’re going to breach the doors. Get inside. It’s getting serious. Somebody is going to die here, today. Not good at all.” People push past him to get higher: “Coming through!”
2:10 p.m. West side, crowd chants, “Fight for Trump!”
2:10 p.m. West lawn. “They’re tear-gassing us! They’re tear-gassing patriots!”
2:10 p.m. Inaugural platform holds only police. Crowd pushes closer. Tear gas. Signs: “Come and take it,” “God’s word calls dem out,” “President Trump,” “F*** Biden,” American flags, upside-down flag.
2:11 p.m. Random man debates in the midst of the crowd on west lawn: “If a woman has the right to choose, who chooses for the baby, then? God gave us the choice, He gave us free will, not to murder our own.”
2:11 p.m. Crowd rushes west steps under scaffolding. Sign: “America first! Never surrender!”
2:11 p.m. Man smokes triumphantly in front of east side: “Spreading good vibes.” Background chant: “We want Trump! We want Trump!”
2:11 p.m. Rioters rush to Capitol windows and door on west side, near Senate chambers. “Yeah! Get into the f***ing Capitol Building!” They pound on windows and door. One man says, “Don’t break the windows, bro!” Wooden board is thrust into window. Men pound on the door. “We need Mike Pence! We need Mike Pence!”
Rioters rush to break the west windows of the U.S. Capitol
2:12 p.m. Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola of the Proud Boys uses a stolen police shield to break Capitol window on the Senate side. He and his fellow Proud Boy Robert Gieswein are among the first to climb inside the building. (Rioter seems to say, “Kill him! Kill him! Kill,” possibly in reference to Pence.)
Pezzola breaks west window with stolen police shield
2:12 p.m. The Capitol is breached.
2:12 p.m. CNN correspondent Jim Acosta texts Mark Meadows: “Will potus say something to tamp things down?”
2:12 p.m. In the Senate chambers, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) proposes to “pause the count.”
2:12 p.m. Man, aged 50-60: “We’re at the front, we’ve been pushing forward as hard as we can. While we’re pushing forward, they are shooting us with percussion grenades, the Capitol Police are. They’re also pepper-spraying us. We got a couple of fights in the front. We got the front pushed forward. They sprayed us all down with pepper-spray. We’re not going to stop. We’re going to push forward.”
2:13 p.m. Another view of the area breached by Pezzola. Rioters continue breaking windows. “This is our country!” “This is my house!” Rioters inside the building attempt to open the door for outsiders.
2:13 p.m. Police radio: “We have a breach of the Capitol! Breach of the Capitol! For the upper level!”
2:13 p.m. Sen. James Lankford advocates for pause in the count and a ten-day commission. Commotion is audible in the Senate chamber. Lankford continues: “My challenge today is not about the good people of Arizona. . . .” Lankford is interrupted by the gavel, as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) abruptly calls a recess. Someone says to Lankford near the mic: “It wasn’t anything you said.”
2:12 p.m. CNN correspondent Jim Acosta texts Mark Meadows: “Will potus say something to tamp things down?”
2:12 p.m. In the Senate chambers, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) proposes to “pause the count.”
2:12 p.m. Man, aged 50-60: “We’re at the front, we’ve been pushing forward as hard as we can. While we’re pushing forward, they are shooting us with percussion grenades, the Capitol Police are. They’re also pepper-spraying us. We got a couple of fights in the front. We got the front pushed forward. They sprayed us all down with pepper-spray. We’re not going to stop. We’re going to push forward.”
2:13 p.m. Another view of the area breached by Pezzola. Rioters continue breaking windows. “This is our country!” “This is my house!” Rioters inside the building attempt to open the door for outsiders.
2:13 p.m. Police radio: “We have a breach of the Capitol! Breach of the Capitol! For the upper level!”
2:13 p.m. Sen. James Lankford advocates for pause in the count and a ten-day commission. Commotion is audible in the Senate chamber. Lankford continues: “My challenge today is not about the good people of Arizona. . . .” Lankford is interrupted by the gavel, as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) abruptly calls a recess. Someone says to Lankford near the mic: “It wasn’t anything you said.”
Sen. Lankford is interrupted by the Capitol breach
2:13 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence is escorted out of the Senate chambers.
2:13 p.m. West side lawn, near inaugural scaffolding, fight breaks out between rioters and police. Crowd cheers. “Hold the line!”
2:13 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “starting to kick in windows at the capitol. 2 windows have been kicked in.” “capitol is breached.”
2:13 p.m. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman directs Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) to safety. Officer Goodman had been running to respond to the breach when he encountered Sen. Romney and another man in the hallway on the second floor. Goodman runs to the first floor to block rioters.
2:13 p.m. West side lawn, near inaugural scaffolding, fight breaks out between rioters and police. Crowd cheers. “Hold the line!”
2:13 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “starting to kick in windows at the capitol. 2 windows have been kicked in.” “capitol is breached.”
2:13 p.m. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman directs Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) to safety. Officer Goodman had been running to respond to the breach when he encountered Sen. Romney and another man in the hallway on the second floor. Goodman runs to the first floor to block rioters.
Officer Eugene Goodman directs Sen. Mitt Romney to safety
2:14 p.m. NBC correspondent Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “Reaction to protester?”
2:14 p.m. In an Oath Keepers chat, one member states: “the [sic] have taken ground at the capitol. We need to regroup any members who are not on mission.” Another Oath Keeper repost the message with the reply, “Come to South Side of Capitol on steps,” with a photo of that location at the Capitol.
2:14 p.m. Trump supporters continue to spill into Capitol. “This is our house! 1776, motherf***ers!” Someone identifies Proud Boy leader Joe Biggs walking inside the Capitol. “Biggs, what you gotta say?” Biggs smiles and says, “This is awesome!” Biggs is affiliated with Alex Jones’ InfoWars and Right Side Broadcasting.
2:14 p.m. In an Oath Keepers chat, one member states: “the [sic] have taken ground at the capitol. We need to regroup any members who are not on mission.” Another Oath Keeper repost the message with the reply, “Come to South Side of Capitol on steps,” with a photo of that location at the Capitol.
2:14 p.m. Trump supporters continue to spill into Capitol. “This is our house! 1776, motherf***ers!” Someone identifies Proud Boy leader Joe Biggs walking inside the Capitol. “Biggs, what you gotta say?” Biggs smiles and says, “This is awesome!” Biggs is affiliated with Alex Jones’ InfoWars and Right Side Broadcasting.
Joe Biggs, trespassing in the Capitol: "This is awesome!" He was later convicted of sedition.
Various photos over the years of Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs, with Jack Posobiec and Sen. Lindsey Graham. Biggs, an "on-air personality" for InfoWars and Right Side Broadcasting, used a megaphone plastered with InfoWars stickers at the Capitol assault, where he played a key role. A jury in 2023 found Biggs' actions amounted to seditious conspiracy.
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2:15 p.m. Most Senators remain in the chambers. Staff and security are visible on camera, increasingly alarmed.
2:15 p.m. A door is opened from the inside by rioters, who now lead a march inside the Capitol. Pezzola is seen holding a cellphone and a stolen police shield. Down a hallway, the crowd encounters Officer Eugene Goodman on the Senate side. The rioters approach Officer Eugene Goodman and yell, “Hey! Where they countin’ the votes?”
2:15 p.m. A door is opened from the inside by rioters, who now lead a march inside the Capitol. Pezzola is seen holding a cellphone and a stolen police shield. Down a hallway, the crowd encounters Officer Eugene Goodman on the Senate side. The rioters approach Officer Eugene Goodman and yell, “Hey! Where they countin’ the votes?”
Rioters encounter Officer Eugene Goodman at the Senate side
Trump supporter Doug Jensen leads crowd against Officer Goodman
Officer Eugene Goodman leads the mob away from the hallway, where they would have found Mike Pence
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"Go arrest the vice president!" (Trump supporter Doug Jensen)
2:16 p.m. Officer Eugene Goodman diverts rioters away from the senators and the vice president, into a line of cops. Lead rioter in a “Q” shirt (Doug Jensen) instructs the police to arrest Pence.
2:16 p.m. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) is speaking on House floor, but he is interrupted by audible commotion in the building. Capitol Police announce: “The Capitol has been breached.” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is immediately evacuated.
2:16 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “VP being pulled.”
2:17 p.m. Sen. Chuck Schumer and several Senators are still in the Senate chamber.
2:16 p.m. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) is speaking on House floor, but he is interrupted by audible commotion in the building. Capitol Police announce: “The Capitol has been breached.” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is immediately evacuated.
2:16 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “VP being pulled.”
2:17 p.m. Sen. Chuck Schumer and several Senators are still in the Senate chamber.
At 2:17 p.m., the Senate floor is not yet evacuated
2:18 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “decision in the next 2-3 mins or they may not be able to move. VP may be stuck in the Capitol.”
2:18 p.m. The Capitol is in lockdown.
2:18 p.m. The House declares a recess.
2:18 p.m. The Capitol is in lockdown.
2:18 p.m. The House declares a recess.
While rioters roam the halls, the House declares a recess
2:18 p.m. People continue to march to the Capitol grounds from the Trump event.
2:19 p.m. Capitol Police issue a security alert to members of Congress and personnel inside the building:
“Due to security threat inside the building, immediately:
2:19 p.m. Capitol Police issue a security alert to members of Congress and personnel inside the building:
“Due to security threat inside the building, immediately:
- Move inside your office or the nearest office.
- Take emergency equipment and visitors.
- Close, lock and stay away from external doors and windows.
- If you are in a public space, find a place to hide or seek cover.
- Remain quiet and silence electronics.
- Once you are in a safe location, immediately check in with your OEC.
- No one will be permitted to enter or exit the building until directed by USCP.
- If you are in a building outside of the affected area, remain clear of the police activity.
- Await further direction.”
2:20 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “Second Floor and Senate Door has now been breached.”
2:20 p.m. House adjourns.
2:20 p.m. In a barricaded room, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calls Will Levi, chief of staff to Attorney General William Barr, and Levi contacts the FBI. Three tactical teams are dispatched.
UNKNOWN TIME: Sometime after the breach, while the Senators are in hiding, Donald Trump mistakenly calls Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) while the Senators are in a temporary holding room. Trump asks for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and then tries to persuade him to make further objections to the electoral count. The ten-minute conversation goes on as though no siege is taking place. The call is interrupted as Lee, standing patiently nearby, asks for his phone back due to the evacuation order. (Sen. Lee, during the impeachment trial a month later, would ask to strike this story from the record.)
2:21 p.m. Crowds flood east side steps. A voice is heard on megaphone (possibly Alex Jones): “Hey guys, don’t ___ the cops. The cops are just doing their job. We are not Black Lives Matter.” Cameraman says, “Hey, all we gotta do is push in.” Crowd becomes more agitated, shouts “Stop the steal!” Cameraman praises police for doing their job.
2:21 p.m. Inside the Capitol Crypt, the mob chants, “Our house!”
2:22 p.m. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is briefed on the Capitol situation by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. On the call, Metro Police Chief Robert Contee is “surprised at the reluctance [from the Pentagon] to immediately send the National Guard to the Capitol grounds.” (It would take three more hours for the Pentagon to approve troops, at 5:40 p.m.)
2:22 p.m. On the east side, Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer lead the crowd with the chants, “1776! 1776!” “Stop the steal!” Jones appears to be standing at or near the Capitol steps. He shouts through a megaphone, “Guys, I’m telling ya. Trump’s not going to come if we don’t come down.” Trump never appears.
2:20 p.m. House adjourns.
2:20 p.m. In a barricaded room, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calls Will Levi, chief of staff to Attorney General William Barr, and Levi contacts the FBI. Three tactical teams are dispatched.
UNKNOWN TIME: Sometime after the breach, while the Senators are in hiding, Donald Trump mistakenly calls Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) while the Senators are in a temporary holding room. Trump asks for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and then tries to persuade him to make further objections to the electoral count. The ten-minute conversation goes on as though no siege is taking place. The call is interrupted as Lee, standing patiently nearby, asks for his phone back due to the evacuation order. (Sen. Lee, during the impeachment trial a month later, would ask to strike this story from the record.)
2:21 p.m. Crowds flood east side steps. A voice is heard on megaphone (possibly Alex Jones): “Hey guys, don’t ___ the cops. The cops are just doing their job. We are not Black Lives Matter.” Cameraman says, “Hey, all we gotta do is push in.” Crowd becomes more agitated, shouts “Stop the steal!” Cameraman praises police for doing their job.
2:21 p.m. Inside the Capitol Crypt, the mob chants, “Our house!”
2:22 p.m. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is briefed on the Capitol situation by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. On the call, Metro Police Chief Robert Contee is “surprised at the reluctance [from the Pentagon] to immediately send the National Guard to the Capitol grounds.” (It would take three more hours for the Pentagon to approve troops, at 5:40 p.m.)
2:22 p.m. On the east side, Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer lead the crowd with the chants, “1776! 1776!” “Stop the steal!” Jones appears to be standing at or near the Capitol steps. He shouts through a megaphone, “Guys, I’m telling ya. Trump’s not going to come if we don’t come down.” Trump never appears.
With the Capitol surrounded, Trump and Shroyer shout: "1776! 1776!" (East)
2:23 p.m. Green-vested police arrive at the east side of the Capitol.
2:23 p.m. Trump supporters continue to crash through bike rack barriers on the west side. Police attempt to stop the breach. Near the south inauguration scaffolding, suspect Julian Khater sprays officers with a toxin, likely bear spray. For twenty minutes, the toxic substance incapacitates three officers, including Officer Brian Sicknick, who later dies from his injuries. Officer Caroline Edwards sustains a head injury and chemical burns that leave scabs on her face for weeks.
2:24 p.m. As the riot grows increasingly severe, Donald Trump tweets: “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!” The tweet is read via megaphone by rioters outside the Capitol.
2:23 p.m. Trump supporters continue to crash through bike rack barriers on the west side. Police attempt to stop the breach. Near the south inauguration scaffolding, suspect Julian Khater sprays officers with a toxin, likely bear spray. For twenty minutes, the toxic substance incapacitates three officers, including Officer Brian Sicknick, who later dies from his injuries. Officer Caroline Edwards sustains a head injury and chemical burns that leave scabs on her face for weeks.
2:24 p.m. As the riot grows increasingly severe, Donald Trump tweets: “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!” The tweet is read via megaphone by rioters outside the Capitol.
2:24 p.m. National Security Council chat log records: “explosions on the rotunda steps.” “[Secret] Service at the capitol does not sound good right now.”
2:25 p.m. A Secret Service agent sends a text: “POTUS just tweeted about Pence, probably not going to be good for Pence.”
2:25 p.m. Door opens on east side. Police desperate to stop crowd. Someone says to police, “This is our house, too, brother!”
2:25 p.m. The Capitol Crypt is breached.
2:25 p.m. A Secret Service agent sends a text: “POTUS just tweeted about Pence, probably not going to be good for Pence.”
2:25 p.m. Door opens on east side. Police desperate to stop crowd. Someone says to police, “This is our house, too, brother!”
2:25 p.m. The Capitol Crypt is breached.
Capitol Police are overrun at the Crypt
Mob rushes and assaults police
For thirteen minutes prior to the evacuation of Mike Pence to a secure location, Secret Service hold Pence in his office near the Senate chamber, while they radio the threats posed by nearby rioters: “Hold, they’ve entered the building.” “Hold.” “Harden that door up.” “If we’re moving, we need to move now!” “Copy.” “If we lose any more time, we may lose the ability to leave. So, if we’re going to leave, we need to do it now.” “They’ve gained access to the second floor, and I’ve got public about five feet from me down here below.” “OK, copy. They are on the second floor, moving in now. We may want to consider getting out and leaving now. Copy?” “Will we encounter the people once we make our way?” “Repeat?” “Encounter any individuals if we made our way to the [redacted]?” “There’s six officers between us and the people that are five to ten feet away from me.” “Stand by. I am going down to evaluate.” “Go ahead.” “We have a clear shot if we move quickly.” A rioter sprays a fire extinguisher at the capitol officers who are with Eugene Goodman. Smoke is produced. Secret Service radio continues: “We have smoke downstairs. Stand by. Unknown smoke downstairs.” “By the protesters?” “Is that route compromised?” “We have the [redacted] is secure. However, we will bypass some protesters that are being contained.” “There is smoke. Unknown what kind of smoke it is. Copy?” “Clear, we’re coming out now. All right? Make a way.”
2:26 p.m. Surveillance footage shows Mike Pence being escorted with staff and family.
2:26 p.m. Surveillance footage shows Mike Pence being escorted with staff and family.
Vice President Mike Pence evacuates the Senate chambers
2:26 p.m. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund makes “urgent, immediate request for National Guard assistance” of the Pentagon and D.C. government officials. Lt. Gen. Walter E. Piatt reportedly replies that he would not recommend the request to his boss: “I don’t like the visual of the National Guard standing a police line with the Capitol in the background.”
2:26 p.m. Woman rioting on the west side says, “Oh my gosh. We were just tear-gassed in the middle of a prayer. Are you kidding me? We were kneeling down and praying.”
2:26 p.m. Crowds continue arriving from Pennsylvania Avenue to west side.
2:27 p.m. Women marching to the Capitol chant, “Mike Pence is a bi***! Mike Pence is a bi***!”
2:27 p.m. CBS News commentator observes, “The Proud Boys were here not long ago [in November and December], and while those marches did get unsettling at times, it was nothing like this, and so perhaps the security presence had been conditioned on that belief that whatever protests there were, they would only go so far—and that was clearly a miscalculation.”
2:28 p.m. On west side, the police line is broken and the mob pushes away more temporary barriers to the base of the inaugural platform. Inspector Glover radios: “Cruiser 50. We’ve lost the line! We’ve lost the line!” Moments later, Inspector Glover instructs MPD officers to move to the upper deck. He radios for all hands: “Cruiser 50. We’re flanked! 10-33!”
2:26 p.m. Woman rioting on the west side says, “Oh my gosh. We were just tear-gassed in the middle of a prayer. Are you kidding me? We were kneeling down and praying.”
2:26 p.m. Crowds continue arriving from Pennsylvania Avenue to west side.
2:27 p.m. Women marching to the Capitol chant, “Mike Pence is a bi***! Mike Pence is a bi***!”
2:27 p.m. CBS News commentator observes, “The Proud Boys were here not long ago [in November and December], and while those marches did get unsettling at times, it was nothing like this, and so perhaps the security presence had been conditioned on that belief that whatever protests there were, they would only go so far—and that was clearly a miscalculation.”
2:28 p.m. On west side, the police line is broken and the mob pushes away more temporary barriers to the base of the inaugural platform. Inspector Glover radios: “Cruiser 50. We’ve lost the line! We’ve lost the line!” Moments later, Inspector Glover instructs MPD officers to move to the upper deck. He radios for all hands: “Cruiser 50. We’re flanked! 10-33!”
Hand-to-hand combat continues on west side
Trump supporter Thomas Webster, a retired NYPD cop, gouges the eyes of police
2:28 p.m. Rioters breach the offices of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Some are heard making threats and pounding on doors. Members of Pelosi’s staff are hiding under a table in a barricaded room with the lights turned off. They remain quiet for two hours. One Pelosi staffer whispers for help via phone: “We need Capitol Police [to] come into the hallway. They’re pounding on doors trying to find her.”
2:28 p.m. Staffers run to safety through Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s office.
2:28 p.m. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene texts Mark Meadows: “Mark I was just told there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol Please tell the President to calm people This isn’t the way to solve anything.”
2:29 p.m. Large groups of rioters, including Proud Boys, continue to break into the building. The growing mob taunts police inside.
2:29 p.m. Rioters throw objects at police as they break into the lobby of the Crypt.
2:28 p.m. Staffers run to safety through Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s office.
2:28 p.m. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene texts Mark Meadows: “Mark I was just told there is an active shooter on the first floor of the Capitol Please tell the President to calm people This isn’t the way to solve anything.”
2:29 p.m. Large groups of rioters, including Proud Boys, continue to break into the building. The growing mob taunts police inside.
2:29 p.m. Rioters throw objects at police as they break into the lobby of the Crypt.
Rioter hits officer with metal trash can as Crypt lobby is invaded
A chair is tossed at an officer as he attempts secure the Crypt from the mob
2:30 p.m. Footage of rioters walking through the Rotunda surprises networks.
2:30 p.m. Metro Police Chief Robert Contee requests police backup from surrounding areas, including New Jersey. (A total of 1,100 of his own Metro officers would respond at various times to the attack, instead of National Guardsmen, who waited hours for the president's order.)
2:32 p.m. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) walks up a ramp in the Capitol, only to turn around less than a minute later to avoid the mob. Security detail closes the glass doors behind Sen. Schumer and guards the area with their bodies.
2:30 p.m. Metro Police Chief Robert Contee requests police backup from surrounding areas, including New Jersey. (A total of 1,100 of his own Metro officers would respond at various times to the attack, instead of National Guardsmen, who waited hours for the president's order.)
2:32 p.m. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) walks up a ramp in the Capitol, only to turn around less than a minute later to avoid the mob. Security detail closes the glass doors behind Sen. Schumer and guards the area with their bodies.
Sen. Chuck Schumer narrowly avoids the Capitol mob
2:32 p.m. Fox New host Laura Ingraham texts Mark Meadows: “Hey Mark, The president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home.” And, “This is hurting all of us.” A minute later: “He is destroying his legacy and playing into every stereotype … we lose all credibility against the BLM/Antifa crowd if things go South.”
2:33 p.m. The locked door to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office is forced open. Rioters enter the office, rummage through items, and steal a laptop.
2:33 p.m. Metro Police radio for immediate assistence from “military as well as all sworn officers, due to a breach to the Capitol.”
2:34 p.m. Mob wanders through Capitol. “Hey, where are the f***ing traitors? Drag them out by their f***ing hair!”
2:33 p.m. The locked door to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office is forced open. Rioters enter the office, rummage through items, and steal a laptop.
2:33 p.m. Metro Police radio for immediate assistence from “military as well as all sworn officers, due to a breach to the Capitol.”
2:34 p.m. Mob wanders through Capitol. “Hey, where are the f***ing traitors? Drag them out by their f***ing hair!”
Trump supporters search for "traitors" to drag by the hair
2:34 p.m. Republican strategist Carlton Huffman texts Mark Meadows: “You’ve earned a special place in infamy for the events of today. And if you’re the Christian you claim to be in your heart you know that.”
2:35 p.m. On east side, rioters scream the National Anthem at police and press a distressed officer into a Capitol door.
2:35 p.m. On east side, rioters scream the National Anthem at police and press a distressed officer into a Capitol door.
Rioters scream National Anthem as they terrorize police on east side
2:35 p.m. A line of Oath Keepers in tactical gear marches up the steps to the Capitol. (The group was spotted at Trump’s speech.)
2:35 p.m. U.S. diplomat Mick Mulvaney texts Mark Meadows to urge Trump to stop the violence: “Mark: he needs to stop this, now. Can I do anything to help?”
2:36 p.m. West side, crowd is breaching inaugural platform and scaffolding. Bullhorn man instructs, “Move forward! You’re about to lose your country! Move forward! It’s your last chance!”
2:37 p.m. Rioter in MAGA hat mockingly picks up Capitol phone in Rotunda and makes threats: “Can I speak to Pelosi? Yeah. We’re comin’ bi***! Oh, Mike Pence? We’re comin’ for you, too, f***ing traitor!”
2:37 p.m. On east side, cops attempt to peacefully move rioters. Man aggressively responds, “*F*** you, bi***!” Crowd sings National Anthem. Woman speaks to phone: “Pence is a traitor, apparently.” Woman yells at police: “Stop macing us, f***ing traitors!”
2:37 p.m. Unmasked man outside: “Smokin’ my joint at the Capitol.”
2:37 p.m. The Oathkeepers’ “Stack #1” enters the Capitol at the central east door.
2:38 p.m.: New York Times correspondent Michael Shear texts Mark Meadows: “Hey mark. Protestors are literally storming the Capitol. Breaking windows on doors. Rushing in. Is Trump going to say something?”
2:38 p.m. Donald Trump acknowledges his supporters are at the Capitol. Instead of calling on them to leave, he tweets a message: “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!”
2:38 p.m. Ali Alexander texts privately: “POTUS is not ignorant of what his words would do.”
2:35 p.m. U.S. diplomat Mick Mulvaney texts Mark Meadows to urge Trump to stop the violence: “Mark: he needs to stop this, now. Can I do anything to help?”
2:36 p.m. West side, crowd is breaching inaugural platform and scaffolding. Bullhorn man instructs, “Move forward! You’re about to lose your country! Move forward! It’s your last chance!”
2:37 p.m. Rioter in MAGA hat mockingly picks up Capitol phone in Rotunda and makes threats: “Can I speak to Pelosi? Yeah. We’re comin’ bi***! Oh, Mike Pence? We’re comin’ for you, too, f***ing traitor!”
2:37 p.m. On east side, cops attempt to peacefully move rioters. Man aggressively responds, “*F*** you, bi***!” Crowd sings National Anthem. Woman speaks to phone: “Pence is a traitor, apparently.” Woman yells at police: “Stop macing us, f***ing traitors!”
2:37 p.m. Unmasked man outside: “Smokin’ my joint at the Capitol.”
2:37 p.m. The Oathkeepers’ “Stack #1” enters the Capitol at the central east door.
2:38 p.m.: New York Times correspondent Michael Shear texts Mark Meadows: “Hey mark. Protestors are literally storming the Capitol. Breaking windows on doors. Rushing in. Is Trump going to say something?”
2:38 p.m. Donald Trump acknowledges his supporters are at the Capitol. Instead of calling on them to leave, he tweets a message: “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!”
2:38 p.m. Ali Alexander texts privately: “POTUS is not ignorant of what his words would do.”
2:39 p.m. Rioters spill into the east side of the Capitol Building. A lone police officer is surrounded.
Officer surrounded as rioters spill into east side
2:39 p.m. [approximate time] Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs and two other Proud Boys re-enter the Capitol through the Columbus Doors on the east side, to allow Oath Keepers and others to enter the building.
2:40 p.m. Oath Keepers, dressed in military gear, enter the Capitol Building. Among them are Donovan Crowl, Jessica (Jeremy) Watkins, Sandra Parker, Graydon Young, Laura Steele, Kelly Meggs, and his wife, Connie Meggs. Oath Keepers use Zello channel “Stop the Steal J6” to communicate with each other inside the building, and with people at home. Someone is heard to say, “You are executing citizen’s arrest. Arrest this assembly, we have probably cause for acts of treason, election fraud.” “Do your f***ing thing. This is what we’re f***ing [unintelligible] up for. Everything we f***ing trained for.”
2:40 p.m. Oath Keepers, dressed in military gear, enter the Capitol Building. Among them are Donovan Crowl, Jessica (Jeremy) Watkins, Sandra Parker, Graydon Young, Laura Steele, Kelly Meggs, and his wife, Connie Meggs. Oath Keepers use Zello channel “Stop the Steal J6” to communicate with each other inside the building, and with people at home. Someone is heard to say, “You are executing citizen’s arrest. Arrest this assembly, we have probably cause for acts of treason, election fraud.” “Do your f***ing thing. This is what we’re f***ing [unintelligible] up for. Everything we f***ing trained for.”
Rioters rush near the House chamber, which has not been fully evacuated
2:41 p.m. House members and staff continue to evacuate through Speaker’s Lobby. Lone officer has barricaded lobby with furniture.
Speaker's Lobby, from the perspective of House members attempting to evacuate in view of rioters
2:42 p.m. Rioters stroll down carpeted office hallways, kicking congressional doors, yelling, “Defend your Constitution, defend your liberty!” “1776!” “Guess what! America showed up!” Nervous man says, “Where’s the rest of everybody? There’s not enough of us. They’re going to bring the feds in or something.”
2:42 p.m. House members and staff continue to use the Speaker’s Lobby to evacuate the chambers, as the rioters arrive in the area. Rep. Jim McGovern makes eye contact with rioters.
2:42 p.m. House members and staff continue to use the Speaker’s Lobby to evacuate the chambers, as the rioters arrive in the area. Rep. Jim McGovern makes eye contact with rioters.
Rioters' cloakroom view of House members evacuating through Speaker's Lobby
2:42 p.m. Outside, men use window-washing equipment to reach windows. Crowd cheers. Banging is heard. Woman says, “You guys hear that beatin’? That’s them beatin’ the door.” Man says, “Don’t break my house!” Woman says, “Hey. We better get out of here.”
2:42 p.m. Man in Rotunda cries with joy, kneels. “Glory, glory, hallelujah” is heard in the background. “Hey, guys. Let’s pray!” Phone drops to floor as five or six heads are seen bowed in prayer, “Father God, thank you for letting us stand up for our country and what we believe in.” “Ah, s***!” one says as they rise from prayer.
2:44 p.m. Rioters violently smash windows at the cloakroom feet away from the House chamber, where several members of Congress continue to hide. Ashli Babbitt prepares to lead the mob toward Congress through a broken window.
2:42 p.m. Man in Rotunda cries with joy, kneels. “Glory, glory, hallelujah” is heard in the background. “Hey, guys. Let’s pray!” Phone drops to floor as five or six heads are seen bowed in prayer, “Father God, thank you for letting us stand up for our country and what we believe in.” “Ah, s***!” one says as they rise from prayer.
2:44 p.m. Rioters violently smash windows at the cloakroom feet away from the House chamber, where several members of Congress continue to hide. Ashli Babbitt prepares to lead the mob toward Congress through a broken window.
Rioters at the cloakroom break door windows of the Speaker's Lobby
2:44 p.m. Remaining House members hide in upstairs gallery of chambers, unable to evacuate.
2:44 p.m. The Senate chamber is breached. Rioters shout, “Where’d she go?” “Do you see Nancy Pelosi?” “Treason! Treason!” One of the invaders is L. Brent Bozell IV, son of the founder of Media Research Center.
2:44 p.m. The Senate chamber is breached. Rioters shout, “Where’d she go?” “Do you see Nancy Pelosi?” “Treason! Treason!” One of the invaders is L. Brent Bozell IV, son of the founder of Media Research Center.
Brent Bozell IV invades the Senate chamber with other rioters
2:44 p.m. Rioters cram wall-to-wall in Capitol hallway and chant, “Whose house? Our house!” A line of police is pushed by the mob. Mob chants: “You serve us!” “F*** Nancy Pelosi!” “F*** Chuck Schumer!” “F*** Mitch McConnell!” “Whose country? Our country!” Pushing continues. “USA”!
2:44 p.m. Rep. Barry Loudermilk texts Mark Meadows: “It’s really bad up here on the hill.”
2:44 p.m. Rep. Barry Loudermilk texts Mark Meadows: “They have breached the Capitol.”
2:44 p.m. Rep. Barry Loudermilk texts Mark Meadows: “It’s really bad up here on the hill.”
2:44 p.m. Rep. Barry Loudermilk texts Mark Meadows: “They have breached the Capitol.”
2:45 p.m. An officer fatally shoots Ashli Babbitt as she attempts to lead rioters from the cloakroom toward the House chambers.
2:45 p.m. The shooting of Ashli Babbitt is audible in the House chamber. Remaining members hear the shot, then promptly remove identifying lapel pins.
2:45 p.m. The shooting of Ashli Babbitt is audible in the House chamber. Remaining members hear the shot, then promptly remove identifying lapel pins.
House members unable to evacuate hide in gallery
2:45 p.m. Crowd continues to pack west Capitol lawn.
2:45 p.m. Oath Keepers in the Rotunda brag, “We took over the Capitol. We’re in the Capitol.” “We’re in the f***ing Capitol, bro!” (The two are later identified as Jessica/Jeremy Watkins and Donovan Crowl of the Oath Keepers militia, whose texts showed a desire to gas Congress.)
2:45 p.m. Reporter Jake Sherman texts Mark Meadows: “We are under siege in the cpaitol. [sic] There’s an armed standoff at the house chamber door. We’re all helpless.”
2:46 p.m. Rep. Will Timmons texts Mark Meadows: “The president needs to stop this ASAP.”
2:46 p.m. Crowd continues to flood west Capitol from Trump event. Woman says, “We want Trump!” Man recording says of police: “They’ve been tear-gassing us. We’ve been fighting with them. To h*** with it. We have to fight back against the police. They attacked us first, so we stormed the building! This is the beginning of the revolution, folks.”
2:47 p.m. Mario Parker texts Mark Meadows: “Is Potus going to take the podium to quell this unrest?”
2:47 p.m. Inside the Capitol, sideways video appears to show aftermath of smoke bombs on blackened floor.
2:47 p.m. Outside, green-vested Metro Police pepper-spray rioters. Location unclear.
2:47 p.m. Mob continues to pack Capitol hallway, pressing police line, chanting, “USA!”
2:47 p.m. The crowd continues to fill the Capitol lawn. Police on west side fire more tear gas.
2:47 p.m. Rioters use police barricades (bike racks) as ladders to scale the west side of the Capitol.
2:45 p.m. Oath Keepers in the Rotunda brag, “We took over the Capitol. We’re in the Capitol.” “We’re in the f***ing Capitol, bro!” (The two are later identified as Jessica/Jeremy Watkins and Donovan Crowl of the Oath Keepers militia, whose texts showed a desire to gas Congress.)
2:45 p.m. Reporter Jake Sherman texts Mark Meadows: “We are under siege in the cpaitol. [sic] There’s an armed standoff at the house chamber door. We’re all helpless.”
2:46 p.m. Rep. Will Timmons texts Mark Meadows: “The president needs to stop this ASAP.”
2:46 p.m. Crowd continues to flood west Capitol from Trump event. Woman says, “We want Trump!” Man recording says of police: “They’ve been tear-gassing us. We’ve been fighting with them. To h*** with it. We have to fight back against the police. They attacked us first, so we stormed the building! This is the beginning of the revolution, folks.”
2:47 p.m. Mario Parker texts Mark Meadows: “Is Potus going to take the podium to quell this unrest?”
2:47 p.m. Inside the Capitol, sideways video appears to show aftermath of smoke bombs on blackened floor.
2:47 p.m. Outside, green-vested Metro Police pepper-spray rioters. Location unclear.
2:47 p.m. Mob continues to pack Capitol hallway, pressing police line, chanting, “USA!”
2:47 p.m. The crowd continues to fill the Capitol lawn. Police on west side fire more tear gas.
2:47 p.m. Rioters use police barricades (bike racks) as ladders to scale the west side of the Capitol.
Rioters use bike racks to scale Capitol
2:47 p.m. Mob continues to press police in doorway. (East side?)
2:47 p.m. Crowd outside chants “USA!” and QAnon oath, “Where we go one, we go all!”
2:48 p.m. Crowd packs Capitol hallway. “We’re coming for you, Nancy!”
2:48 p.m. Outside, woman yells at green-vested police, “We’re done with the police! You’re going to have Anifa, Black Lives Matter, AND the Republicans all hating you guys!” Man shouts to police, “You picked the wrong side of history, gentlemen!”
2:48 p.m. Mark Meadows texts Rep. Barry Loudermilk: “POTUS is engaging.”
2:49 p.m. Rep. Barry Loudermilk responds to Mark Meadows: “Thanks. This doesn’t help our cause.”
2:49 p.m. House members and staff begin to evacuate the gallery. A number of rioters are detained nearby, in view of lawmakers.
2:47 p.m. Crowd outside chants “USA!” and QAnon oath, “Where we go one, we go all!”
2:48 p.m. Crowd packs Capitol hallway. “We’re coming for you, Nancy!”
2:48 p.m. Outside, woman yells at green-vested police, “We’re done with the police! You’re going to have Anifa, Black Lives Matter, AND the Republicans all hating you guys!” Man shouts to police, “You picked the wrong side of history, gentlemen!”
2:48 p.m. Mark Meadows texts Rep. Barry Loudermilk: “POTUS is engaging.”
2:49 p.m. Rep. Barry Loudermilk responds to Mark Meadows: “Thanks. This doesn’t help our cause.”
2:49 p.m. House members and staff begin to evacuate the gallery. A number of rioters are detained nearby, in view of lawmakers.
House members and staff in the gallery begin to evacuate
Rioters are detained not far from lawmakers evacuating House gallery
2:49 p.m. In the thick of the crowd on west side, conversations are heard, “That’s what we f***ing need to have is 30,000 guns up here!” Someone replies, “That’s right. Next trip.” First man continues, “The Supreme Court’s not going to help us. No one’s going to help us! We’ve got to help ourselves!” Trump flags, American flags, “Trump Train” flags, Confederate flags, “Stop the Steal” flags, “Straight Pride” flags, “Jesus Saves” sign, Gadsden flags, “I’m mad as h***” sign, “Come and take it” flags wave in the crowd.
2:50 p.m. Man in Rotunda, “Mayor just issued a city-wide curfew for 6 p.m.” Others, “Oh, lovely.”
2:50 p.m. Someone in Rotunda says, “We got our point across. Let’s go.” Few are in Rotunda. Police walk by, then try to get the trespassers to leave. One cop touches rioter and instructs, “Get out of the building!” Rioter replies, “You don’t have a right to touch me! This is my f***ing building!” Man recording calls out, “Hey! We’ve got a f***ing attitude problem over here!” (Meaning the cop.) Men walk up to intimidate cop with curses and threats. Man recording points to cop and explains to friend, “F***ing dude here is getting a little attitude, a little f***ing handsy.”
2:50 p.m. The House floor has not yet been fully evacuated. Furniture barricades a damaged door. Guns are drawn by security.
2:50 p.m. Man in Rotunda, “Mayor just issued a city-wide curfew for 6 p.m.” Others, “Oh, lovely.”
2:50 p.m. Someone in Rotunda says, “We got our point across. Let’s go.” Few are in Rotunda. Police walk by, then try to get the trespassers to leave. One cop touches rioter and instructs, “Get out of the building!” Rioter replies, “You don’t have a right to touch me! This is my f***ing building!” Man recording calls out, “Hey! We’ve got a f***ing attitude problem over here!” (Meaning the cop.) Men walk up to intimidate cop with curses and threats. Man recording points to cop and explains to friend, “F***ing dude here is getting a little attitude, a little f***ing handsy.”
2:50 p.m. The House floor has not yet been fully evacuated. Furniture barricades a damaged door. Guns are drawn by security.
[around 2:50 p.m.] Rep. Troy Nehls shouts at the mob through a broken window at the barricaded House door: “You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” Rioter: “We’re coming in one way or another!” Rep. Nehls: “I’ve been in law enforcement in Texas for 30 years, and I’ve never had people act this way. I’m ashamed!” Rioter Damon Beckley: “I drove 14 hours to get here and stood in the cold for three and a half hours to find out that Mike Pence is a f****** traitor, man. And I voted for that f****** dude. He could’ve done the right thing and certified those legislators, electors, and we wouldn’t be standing here with a 9 mm pointed at me right now!” Rioter: “We’re real American citizens, and we’re sick of this. We’re making it known that we’re sick of it.” Rioter: “They can only kill so many of us.”
Rep. Troy Nehls to mob: "I've never had people act this way. I'm ashamed!"
Evacuation of the House chambers continues, several minutes after Rep. Nehls scolded mob
Furniture and two handguns protect House members not yet evacuated
2:51 p.m. Man inside the Capitol speaks to camera: “They pepper-sprayed us in the Capitol. Just so you know, I’m not involved in this, I’m just observing, but they are pepper-spaying us in the Capitol. This is insane. I don’t want to say that what we’re doing is right, but with the election’s being stolen, what’s it going to take? Really, is it going take people just talking about it? I’m probably going to lose my job as a pastor after this, but what is it going to take?”
Pastor worries about losing his job for invading the Capitol, but then he justifies
2:51 p.m. Man outside says to camera: “Well, Congress cowards hid inside and were emergency escorted away because of fear of the people. Of course they’re cowards. Can’t face the people, can’t do the right thing. Pence lied to us. He’s a total treasonist pig, and his name will be mud forever. Now the real battle begins.”
2:51 p.m. Man on west side: “Here I am, up on the scaffold. We beat the police back. I got sprayed, tased, hit, but we made it! We’re in! This is our house!”
2:52 p.m. FBI SWAT team arrives at Capitol.
2:52 p.m. Man records FBI SWAT team preparing outside, weapons visible. Woman asks, “Are they for us? Or?” Man says, “No, they’re against us.” She replies, “Well, they shouldn’t be.” He yells at FBI, “If you shoot people, it’s on your conscience! You’re going to start a war!”
2:52 p.m. In the crowd on west side, man with bullhorn yells, “The government has been taken over by criminals. We need to end this now!”
2:53 p.m. Jonathan Karl texts Mark Meadows: “What are you going to do to stop this? What is the president going to do?”
2:51 p.m. Man on west side: “Here I am, up on the scaffold. We beat the police back. I got sprayed, tased, hit, but we made it! We’re in! This is our house!”
2:52 p.m. FBI SWAT team arrives at Capitol.
2:52 p.m. Man records FBI SWAT team preparing outside, weapons visible. Woman asks, “Are they for us? Or?” Man says, “No, they’re against us.” She replies, “Well, they shouldn’t be.” He yells at FBI, “If you shoot people, it’s on your conscience! You’re going to start a war!”
2:52 p.m. In the crowd on west side, man with bullhorn yells, “The government has been taken over by criminals. We need to end this now!”
2:53 p.m. Jonathan Karl texts Mark Meadows: “What are you going to do to stop this? What is the president going to do?”
2:53 p.m. House members and staffers descend stairway to safety.
2:53 p.m. Proud Boys leader Zachary Rehl enters the west side of the Capitol Building.
2:53 p.m. On the street between Capitol and National Mall, woman speaks through microphone, “Lord, I thank you for the dream you gave me on Palm Sunday, that President Trump was filled with the Holy Ghost and that he gave up this stage for revival! I dreamt it! I thank you Lord that this is the hour, this is the time! We call forth revival!”
2:53 p.m. On west side, man pumps up crowd through megaphone, “Hey patriots on top the wall! We’re f***ing proud of you! Fight for Trump!” Crowd chants. “Fight for Trump!”
2:53 p.m. Man on sidewalk: “We have taken the Capitol. It is ours. Now we’ll see what side the military are on.”
2:53 p.m. to 2:58 p.m. Donald Trump, Jr., texts Mark Meadows: “He’s got to condemn this s***. Asap. The capitol police tweet is not enough.” At 2:54 p.m., Mark Meadows replies: “I am pushing hard. I agree.” Don Jr. replies at 2:58, “This his [sic] one you go to the mattresses on. They will try to f*** his entire legacy on this if it gets worse.” (Don, Jr., later explained under oath to the Jan. 6th committee that “going to the mattresses” was an intended Godfather reference for “going all in.”)
2:54 p.m. Crowd continues to fill east side, occupying the steps. The doors are possibly closed. Crowd sings the National Anthem.
2:55 p.m. Rioters on west side have pinned giant American flag to the inaugural scaffolding. The crowd sings the National Anthem. (The enormous flag is likely the same one seen surfing the crowd at Trump’s speech.)
2:55 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance on west side is led by man with bullhorn.
2:55 p.m. Woman sees fellow Trump supporters inside Capitol looking through cracked window. She yells, “Dude, get out of there! Get out!” She and friend get nervous and leave.
2:55 p.m. Man on west side complains the police are treating them worse than they would treat Antifa, “Because we’re patriots.” He (inaccurately) claims, “Nobody showed up here with hockey sticks, baseball bats, and shields and gas masks. We just showed up here in a peaceful protest. If Antifa was here, they’d have the run of the city here.”
2:57 p.m. Man on west side: “All of this is what happens when you back America into a corner. People are pi**ed out here. Pence is a f***ing traitor. He will forever go down in history.”
2:57 p.m. On the west side, man instruct via bullhorn, “If you’re going to the front, they are gassing. They are using rubber bullets against American citizens, inside the Rotunda. Right now, we have the Capitol.”
2:58 p.m. Rioters hold door open for invaders of the Capitol. Crowd chants, “Fight for Trump!”
2:53 p.m. Proud Boys leader Zachary Rehl enters the west side of the Capitol Building.
2:53 p.m. On the street between Capitol and National Mall, woman speaks through microphone, “Lord, I thank you for the dream you gave me on Palm Sunday, that President Trump was filled with the Holy Ghost and that he gave up this stage for revival! I dreamt it! I thank you Lord that this is the hour, this is the time! We call forth revival!”
2:53 p.m. On west side, man pumps up crowd through megaphone, “Hey patriots on top the wall! We’re f***ing proud of you! Fight for Trump!” Crowd chants. “Fight for Trump!”
2:53 p.m. Man on sidewalk: “We have taken the Capitol. It is ours. Now we’ll see what side the military are on.”
2:53 p.m. to 2:58 p.m. Donald Trump, Jr., texts Mark Meadows: “He’s got to condemn this s***. Asap. The capitol police tweet is not enough.” At 2:54 p.m., Mark Meadows replies: “I am pushing hard. I agree.” Don Jr. replies at 2:58, “This his [sic] one you go to the mattresses on. They will try to f*** his entire legacy on this if it gets worse.” (Don, Jr., later explained under oath to the Jan. 6th committee that “going to the mattresses” was an intended Godfather reference for “going all in.”)
2:54 p.m. Crowd continues to fill east side, occupying the steps. The doors are possibly closed. Crowd sings the National Anthem.
2:55 p.m. Rioters on west side have pinned giant American flag to the inaugural scaffolding. The crowd sings the National Anthem. (The enormous flag is likely the same one seen surfing the crowd at Trump’s speech.)
2:55 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance on west side is led by man with bullhorn.
2:55 p.m. Woman sees fellow Trump supporters inside Capitol looking through cracked window. She yells, “Dude, get out of there! Get out!” She and friend get nervous and leave.
2:55 p.m. Man on west side complains the police are treating them worse than they would treat Antifa, “Because we’re patriots.” He (inaccurately) claims, “Nobody showed up here with hockey sticks, baseball bats, and shields and gas masks. We just showed up here in a peaceful protest. If Antifa was here, they’d have the run of the city here.”
2:57 p.m. Man on west side: “All of this is what happens when you back America into a corner. People are pi**ed out here. Pence is a f***ing traitor. He will forever go down in history.”
2:57 p.m. On the west side, man instruct via bullhorn, “If you’re going to the front, they are gassing. They are using rubber bullets against American citizens, inside the Rotunda. Right now, we have the Capitol.”
2:58 p.m. Rioters hold door open for invaders of the Capitol. Crowd chants, “Fight for Trump!”
Rioters hold Capitol door open for invaders
3:01 p.m. An ambulance has arrived.
3:01 p.m. Woman films from a high position on west side. The crowd is thick, and people continue moving to the front. “Isn’t it beautiful? This is f***ing awesome. See this? This is what happens when you do absolutely nothing.” Older woman says, “And Pence betrayed us!”
3:01 p.m. Man on west scaffolding with bullhorn instructs: “Don’t just stand there! Move forward! Help somebody over the wall! Move forward! C’mon, cowboy!” VDare lion flag is seen.
3:02 p.m. Scene is calmer on east side. People have moved away from the doors. Hands are waving. Someone with a mic is leading a hymn.
3:02 p.m. Rotunda is filling up. People cough from tear gas.
3:03 p.m. As rioters occupy the Senate chambers, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) speaks to Vice President Mike Pence in a secure location. “I’ve known Mike Pence forever. I’ve never seen Pence as angry as he was today.” In Inhofe’s account, Pence felt betrayed by Trump.
3:03 p.m. Men scream at Metro Police: “Our house, motherf***ers!” Location unknown.
3:04 p.m. Officer appears with possible weapon, sending nearby hecklers running.
3:04 p.m. Woman speaks to camera from lawn: “I’m live at the Capitol Building, where we have overtaken the building, and we’re wondering if the media hears us now. I don’t see any media. Proud Boys are here. I don’t see Antifa. It’s all protesters saying, ‘Stop the steal.’ They climbed the walls. They climbed the scaffolding and hung an American flag. There’s no violence here, but we’re upset. The lies, the stealing, needs to end, and our government needs to listen. Do you hear us now?”
3:07 p.m. Some rioters exit the building. Trump flags, shirts, a sign: “Stop the Steal.” Cheering from the crowd. “Way to go, guys!”
3:08 p.m. Mob packs Capitol hallway, chanting “USA!” “Where are all the traitors?”
3:09 p.m. Fromer RNC chair Reince Priebus texts Mark Meadows: “TELL THEM TO GO HOME !!!”
3:09 p.m. Man on west side: “Bring Mitch out! Bring Pelosi out! Bring Schumer out!”
3:09 p.m. Through open door, people are going in and out. Man filming taunts Nancy Pelosi: “We’re looking for you, Nancy!” People are all over the place, exploring. Capitol policeman tries to stop people from entering a spiral staircase. Man filming says, “Hey! We didn’t come to be pacified.” They go to another spiral staircase, and are stopped at the top by Capitol policewoman: “No. You can’t come up here.” They leave.
3:01 p.m. Woman films from a high position on west side. The crowd is thick, and people continue moving to the front. “Isn’t it beautiful? This is f***ing awesome. See this? This is what happens when you do absolutely nothing.” Older woman says, “And Pence betrayed us!”
3:01 p.m. Man on west scaffolding with bullhorn instructs: “Don’t just stand there! Move forward! Help somebody over the wall! Move forward! C’mon, cowboy!” VDare lion flag is seen.
3:02 p.m. Scene is calmer on east side. People have moved away from the doors. Hands are waving. Someone with a mic is leading a hymn.
3:02 p.m. Rotunda is filling up. People cough from tear gas.
3:03 p.m. As rioters occupy the Senate chambers, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) speaks to Vice President Mike Pence in a secure location. “I’ve known Mike Pence forever. I’ve never seen Pence as angry as he was today.” In Inhofe’s account, Pence felt betrayed by Trump.
3:03 p.m. Men scream at Metro Police: “Our house, motherf***ers!” Location unknown.
3:04 p.m. Officer appears with possible weapon, sending nearby hecklers running.
3:04 p.m. Woman speaks to camera from lawn: “I’m live at the Capitol Building, where we have overtaken the building, and we’re wondering if the media hears us now. I don’t see any media. Proud Boys are here. I don’t see Antifa. It’s all protesters saying, ‘Stop the steal.’ They climbed the walls. They climbed the scaffolding and hung an American flag. There’s no violence here, but we’re upset. The lies, the stealing, needs to end, and our government needs to listen. Do you hear us now?”
3:07 p.m. Some rioters exit the building. Trump flags, shirts, a sign: “Stop the Steal.” Cheering from the crowd. “Way to go, guys!”
3:08 p.m. Mob packs Capitol hallway, chanting “USA!” “Where are all the traitors?”
3:09 p.m. Fromer RNC chair Reince Priebus texts Mark Meadows: “TELL THEM TO GO HOME !!!”
3:09 p.m. Man on west side: “Bring Mitch out! Bring Pelosi out! Bring Schumer out!”
3:09 p.m. Through open door, people are going in and out. Man filming taunts Nancy Pelosi: “We’re looking for you, Nancy!” People are all over the place, exploring. Capitol policeman tries to stop people from entering a spiral staircase. Man filming says, “Hey! We didn’t come to be pacified.” They go to another spiral staircase, and are stopped at the top by Capitol policewoman: “No. You can’t come up here.” They leave.
3:11 p.m. Rioters attack officers in the west Capitol tunnel (the “Chute”). (Rosanne Boyland would soon die at this location, outside the tunnel. This tunnel is where the president-elect and VIPs make their public entrance at the inauguration ceremony.)
Rioters spray substance on cops in the Chute (west tunnel)
3:11 p.m. Under siege in the Capitol, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) tweets a video message urging the president to “call it off. You are the only person who can call this off. The election is over. Call it off.”
3:12 p.m. More Metro Police are arriving, single-file, a distance from the Capitol.
3:12 p.m. Rioters continue entering the Capitol, as others leave. Tight quarters. Rioters laugh that the cops are “done fighting.”
3:12 p.m. Mob continues pressing against Metro Police in the Chute.
3:12 p.m. More Metro Police are arriving, single-file, a distance from the Capitol.
3:12 p.m. Rioters continue entering the Capitol, as others leave. Tight quarters. Rioters laugh that the cops are “done fighting.”
3:12 p.m. Mob continues pressing against Metro Police in the Chute.
A sea of Trump supporters streams to Capitol, as rioters crush police in the Chute
3:12 p.m. At Capitol door, unknown location, rioters scream obscenities at police. Man assaults officer. Police attempt to close door.
3:13 p.m. Former Rep. Tom Price texts Mark Meadows: “POTUS should go on air and defuse this. Extremely important.”
3:13 p.m. Donald Trump tweets his supporters, whom he again acknowledges are at the Capitol. Trump does not ask them to leave: “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”
3:13 p.m. Battle continues in tunnel. Rioters are increasingly aggressive.
3:13 p.m. On west side, crowd appears restless. Bullhorn yells, “It’s our house, and we give you permission to break that s***!”
3:13 p.m.: Alyssa Farah Griffin texts Mark Meadows: “Potus has to come out firmly and tell protestors to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed.”
3:14 p.m. Rioters wander around Capitol offices.
3:15 p.m. Rep. Chip Roy texts Mark Meadows: “Fix this now.”
3:15 p.m. Rioters are in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley. One invader props his feet on an office table and smokes marijuana.
3:18 p.m. West side. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone is pulled out of the West Terrace tunnel into the violent mob. “I got one!” yells an assailant. Fanone was already assaulted inside the tunnel with various items—a hockey stick, a crutch, a thin blue line flag, an American flag—and now outside, he is tased in the neck while rioters aggressively lunge at him and paw at his clothes. The taser causes a heart attack.
3:13 p.m. Former Rep. Tom Price texts Mark Meadows: “POTUS should go on air and defuse this. Extremely important.”
3:13 p.m. Donald Trump tweets his supporters, whom he again acknowledges are at the Capitol. Trump does not ask them to leave: “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”
3:13 p.m. Battle continues in tunnel. Rioters are increasingly aggressive.
3:13 p.m. On west side, crowd appears restless. Bullhorn yells, “It’s our house, and we give you permission to break that s***!”
3:13 p.m.: Alyssa Farah Griffin texts Mark Meadows: “Potus has to come out firmly and tell protestors to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed.”
3:14 p.m. Rioters wander around Capitol offices.
3:15 p.m. Rep. Chip Roy texts Mark Meadows: “Fix this now.”
3:15 p.m. Rioters are in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley. One invader props his feet on an office table and smokes marijuana.
3:18 p.m. West side. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone is pulled out of the West Terrace tunnel into the violent mob. “I got one!” yells an assailant. Fanone was already assaulted inside the tunnel with various items—a hockey stick, a crutch, a thin blue line flag, an American flag—and now outside, he is tased in the neck while rioters aggressively lunge at him and paw at his clothes. The taser causes a heart attack.
Officer Fanone is pulled into the crowd and tazed by Daniel Rodriguez as someone shouts "kill him with his own gun!"
Fanone hears someone say, “Kill him with is own gun!” Someone jumps in to help, and tells others to back off: “Don’t hurt him. We’re better than this!” Officer Fanone yells, “I have kids!” Rioter: “Then why the f*** are you here, man? You know what the f*** this is.” Another: “Let him through. Let him through.” “Don’t hurt him.” “Which way do you want to go?” Fanone: “Please, let me back inside.”
Officer Fanone's bodycam footage shows attackers viciously grabbing his gear as he is tazed
3:19 p.m. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy informs Pelosi and Schumer via phone that the Mayor’s request has been approved, almost two hours after it was made. Some time later, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller issues a statement saying he and Gen. Mark Milley were activating the National Guard after speaking with congressional leaders and Vice President Pence. No reference is made to President Trump being involved in the decision. (The activation is delayed until 5:45 p.m.)
3:21 p.m. Journalist Anita Kumar texts Mark Meadows: “Is the President going to speak? Can you give me any info about what he’s doing?”
3:21 p.m. Officer Fanone collapses inside the Capitol. MPD: “Officer down!”
3:21 p.m. Journalist Anita Kumar texts Mark Meadows: “Is the President going to speak? Can you give me any info about what he’s doing?”
3:21 p.m. Officer Fanone collapses inside the Capitol. MPD: “Officer down!”
Office Fanone collapses of a heart attack after being assaulted by the crowd
3:25 p.m. Man with megaphone near on the lawn holds a handmade sign with a noose drawn next to a hit-list of “traitors”: John Roberts, Paul Ryan, Adam Schiff, Robert Mueller, James Comey, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, etc. “The Capitol is ours,” he states. A woman nearby tells filmmaker she was tear-gassed on the third row: “A guy on my left had a heart attack and died. A guy on my right got hit with one of those tear-gas cartridges and he had a bloody mouth and nose, and we took him to the hospital.” She expresses approval for the Capitol siege and the police defeat: “There were just too many of us.”
Man wants to hang elected officials, judges, and Robert Mueller
3:25 p.m. QAnon Shaman leaves the Capitol after illegally occupying the Senate chambers. He screams “Freedom!” from Capitol steps.
3:26 p.m. Army Secretary McCarthy informs Mayor Muriel Bowser her request is approved, nearly two hours after she first asked for federal help at the Capitol. (The activation is delayed until 5:45 p.m.)
3:27 p.m. Flustered woman walks down sidewalk to hotel: “We have no idea what happened at the Capitol,” she says, but her “impression” is that it was Antifa who stormed the Capitol, to “make us all look bad.”
3:29 p.m. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam attempts to send his state’s National Guard, but he is stalled as he waits for authorization from the Department of Defense to allow the troops on federal land.
3:30 p.m. A shaken House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calls into CBS News to completely condemn the violence as “un-American,” and says, “I don’t know who in the crowd is doing this. I know there’s good and bad, but this is unacceptable.” Asked whether he talked to the president, and what he said he would do, McCarthy confirms: “I know he put a tweet out there. I told him, ‘You need to talk to the nation.’ I told him what was happening right then, from what I watched in the Capitol, from the way you had to move within the Capitol, the rush that had to come in, the windows that were being broken.”
3:31 p.m. Sean Hannity texts Mark Meadows: “Can he make a statement. I saw the tweet. Ask people to peacefully leave the capital.” [sic]
3:34 p.m. A pastor stands with crowd on hijacked inaugural platform and yells through megaphone: “We’ve been screaming, we’ve been fighting! Now I want you to pray with me! Pray! Let us pray II Chronicles 7:14 over our nation. Let us pray! Father God, we pray for justice.” In the chaotic scene, the crowd yells, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!”
3:35 p.m. Crowd on west lawn and inaugural platform chants: “Fight for Trump!”
3:26 p.m. Army Secretary McCarthy informs Mayor Muriel Bowser her request is approved, nearly two hours after she first asked for federal help at the Capitol. (The activation is delayed until 5:45 p.m.)
3:27 p.m. Flustered woman walks down sidewalk to hotel: “We have no idea what happened at the Capitol,” she says, but her “impression” is that it was Antifa who stormed the Capitol, to “make us all look bad.”
3:29 p.m. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam attempts to send his state’s National Guard, but he is stalled as he waits for authorization from the Department of Defense to allow the troops on federal land.
3:30 p.m. A shaken House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calls into CBS News to completely condemn the violence as “un-American,” and says, “I don’t know who in the crowd is doing this. I know there’s good and bad, but this is unacceptable.” Asked whether he talked to the president, and what he said he would do, McCarthy confirms: “I know he put a tweet out there. I told him, ‘You need to talk to the nation.’ I told him what was happening right then, from what I watched in the Capitol, from the way you had to move within the Capitol, the rush that had to come in, the windows that were being broken.”
3:31 p.m. Sean Hannity texts Mark Meadows: “Can he make a statement. I saw the tweet. Ask people to peacefully leave the capital.” [sic]
3:34 p.m. A pastor stands with crowd on hijacked inaugural platform and yells through megaphone: “We’ve been screaming, we’ve been fighting! Now I want you to pray with me! Pray! Let us pray II Chronicles 7:14 over our nation. Let us pray! Father God, we pray for justice.” In the chaotic scene, the crowd yells, “Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!”
3:35 p.m. Crowd on west lawn and inaugural platform chants: “Fight for Trump!”
3:35 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence tweets, “The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building.”
3:35 p.m. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) calls Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to say his National Guard troops are preparing outside D.C., but are unable to enter without approval from the Pentagon.
3:36 p.m. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweets that Donald Trump is sending the National Guard. However, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller had said nothing of Trump’s involvement, but rather indicated activation was made in consultation with Mike Pence and congressional leadership.
3:38 p.m. Proud Boys leader Charles Donohoe posts to their encrypted channel: “We are regrouping with a second force.”
3:38 p.m. Man matter-of-factly explains siege for five minutes, how he entered the Senate chambers. “Nobody was assaulted—except for us.” Says they had no weapons except flagpoles. Saw blood on the floor, and “that kinda killed the momentum a little bit.” Says, “Hopefully we can maintain the momentum here.” Hopes for “a little bit of justice and our votes to count.”
3:35 p.m. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) calls Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to say his National Guard troops are preparing outside D.C., but are unable to enter without approval from the Pentagon.
3:36 p.m. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweets that Donald Trump is sending the National Guard. However, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller had said nothing of Trump’s involvement, but rather indicated activation was made in consultation with Mike Pence and congressional leadership.
3:38 p.m. Proud Boys leader Charles Donohoe posts to their encrypted channel: “We are regrouping with a second force.”
3:38 p.m. Man matter-of-factly explains siege for five minutes, how he entered the Senate chambers. “Nobody was assaulted—except for us.” Says they had no weapons except flagpoles. Saw blood on the floor, and “that kinda killed the momentum a little bit.” Says, “Hopefully we can maintain the momentum here.” Hopes for “a little bit of justice and our votes to count.”
Trump supporter: "We're storming the Capitol! It's a revolution!"
3:40 p.m. Katrina Pierson texts Mark Meadows: “Note: I was able to keep the crazies off the stage. I stripped all branding of those nutty groups and removed videos of all of the psychos. Glad it fought it.”
3:40 p.m. Man says to police, “Buncha f***ing Nazis. F***ing hogs.” Taunts. Makes fun of their weight.
3:41 p.m. Chaos on the east side, as riot police come out the door while rioters try to enter.
3:42 p.m. East side, man yells at police, “We were invited here! We were invited! Hey, we were invited here! We were invited by the President of the United States!”
3:42 p.m. Crowd on east steps plays rock music, crowd sings, “We’re not going to take it anymore!” Woman yells at police, “Hey! I thought you were here to protect us! We’re the people.” Woman says she wishes she brought the gas mask her husband bought.
3:42 p.m. Lobbyist Tom Cors texts Mark Meadows: “Pls have POTUS call this off at the Capitol. Urge rioters to disperse. I pray to you.”
3:43 p.m. Man says he saw a cellphone photo of a woman shot. “She was limp and the cops were carrying her out. Bro, they don’t treat Antifa like this. Ask yourself why they don’t treat Antifa like this.”
3:40 p.m. Man says to police, “Buncha f***ing Nazis. F***ing hogs.” Taunts. Makes fun of their weight.
3:41 p.m. Chaos on the east side, as riot police come out the door while rioters try to enter.
3:42 p.m. East side, man yells at police, “We were invited here! We were invited! Hey, we were invited here! We were invited by the President of the United States!”
3:42 p.m. Crowd on east steps plays rock music, crowd sings, “We’re not going to take it anymore!” Woman yells at police, “Hey! I thought you were here to protect us! We’re the people.” Woman says she wishes she brought the gas mask her husband bought.
3:42 p.m. Lobbyist Tom Cors texts Mark Meadows: “Pls have POTUS call this off at the Capitol. Urge rioters to disperse. I pray to you.”
3:43 p.m. Man says he saw a cellphone photo of a woman shot. “She was limp and the cops were carrying her out. Bro, they don’t treat Antifa like this. Ask yourself why they don’t treat Antifa like this.”
3:44 p.m. Crowd chants at police: “Traitors!” Obscenities. Tall man with serious intent instructs the crowd: “Hey! If you didn’t come to fight, if you didn’t come to fight, go back down! Let the people who want to fight, let them come up!”
3:45 p.m. Jason Miller texts Mark Meadows and Dan Scavino: “Call me crazy, but ideas for two tweets from POTUS : 1) Bad apples, likely ANTIFA or other crazed leftists, infiltrated today’s peaceful protest over the fraudulent vote count. Violence is never acceptable! MAGA supporters embrace our police and the rule of law and should leave the Capitol now! 2) The fake news media who encouraged this summer’s violent and radical riots are now trying to blame peaceful and innocent MAGA supporters for violent actions. This isn’t who we are! Our people should head home and let the criminals suffer the consequences!”
3:46 p.m. In a joint call to the Department of Defense, members of Congress plead for National Guard protection.
3:46 p.m. CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang texts Mark Meadows: “Hi Mark, I hope you are safe and healthy. Any plans for the President to make public remarks?”
3:47 p.m. Weijia Jiang texts Mark Meadows: “When will he address the nation?”
3:47 p.m. The Defense Department denies Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s request for National Guard. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) calls the governor from inside the building to plead for assistance, saying the Capitol Police cannot hold back the mob.
3:48 p.m. Crowd is packed on inaugural platform, trying to get through the tunnel. “We the people!” “F*** Antifa!” “This is a proud moment.” Sign: “Trump won!”
3:50 p.m. Pepper-sprayed man pours water into his eyes and says, “I am the guy that got you in this building. Watch the videos. Don’t take my word for it. We came up the little stairs. I am the guy with the horn telling you, you are Americans. Do not stop here. And we got into this f***ing building.”
3:50 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urge Trump to “to demand that all Protesters leave the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Grounds immediately.”
3:51 p.m. Rioter kicks and pounds windows with approval of the mob.
3:52 p.m. “Camp Auschwitz” rioter Robert Keith Packer and another man explain the shooting of Ashli Babbitt: “One shot.” “And they screamed, ‘do you want to be next?’ to back us off.”
3:45 p.m. Jason Miller texts Mark Meadows and Dan Scavino: “Call me crazy, but ideas for two tweets from POTUS : 1) Bad apples, likely ANTIFA or other crazed leftists, infiltrated today’s peaceful protest over the fraudulent vote count. Violence is never acceptable! MAGA supporters embrace our police and the rule of law and should leave the Capitol now! 2) The fake news media who encouraged this summer’s violent and radical riots are now trying to blame peaceful and innocent MAGA supporters for violent actions. This isn’t who we are! Our people should head home and let the criminals suffer the consequences!”
3:46 p.m. In a joint call to the Department of Defense, members of Congress plead for National Guard protection.
3:46 p.m. CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang texts Mark Meadows: “Hi Mark, I hope you are safe and healthy. Any plans for the President to make public remarks?”
3:47 p.m. Weijia Jiang texts Mark Meadows: “When will he address the nation?”
3:47 p.m. The Defense Department denies Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s request for National Guard. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) calls the governor from inside the building to plead for assistance, saying the Capitol Police cannot hold back the mob.
3:48 p.m. Crowd is packed on inaugural platform, trying to get through the tunnel. “We the people!” “F*** Antifa!” “This is a proud moment.” Sign: “Trump won!”
3:50 p.m. Pepper-sprayed man pours water into his eyes and says, “I am the guy that got you in this building. Watch the videos. Don’t take my word for it. We came up the little stairs. I am the guy with the horn telling you, you are Americans. Do not stop here. And we got into this f***ing building.”
3:50 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urge Trump to “to demand that all Protesters leave the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Grounds immediately.”
3:51 p.m. Rioter kicks and pounds windows with approval of the mob.
3:52 p.m. “Camp Auschwitz” rioter Robert Keith Packer and another man explain the shooting of Ashli Babbitt: “One shot.” “And they screamed, ‘do you want to be next?’ to back us off.”
3:52 p.m. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene texts Mark Meadows: “Mark we don’t think these attackers are our people. We think they are Antifa. Dressed like Trump supporters.”
3:52 p.m. Crowd shouts “heave-ho!” in an effort to ram police in the inaugural tunnel. (Based on the chants of the crowd, this is likely the time Metro Police Officer Daniel Hodges is crushed by protesters in the inaugural tunnel door.)
3:52 p.m. Crowd shouts “heave-ho!” in an effort to ram police in the inaugural tunnel. (Based on the chants of the crowd, this is likely the time Metro Police Officer Daniel Hodges is crushed by protesters in the inaugural tunnel door.)
Officer Hodges is pinned at the west tunnel door (Chute)
3:52 p.m. Mob invades the east steps, trying to enter the building.
3:52 p.m. North Carolina lawyer Jay Leutze texts Mark Meadows: “Mark, this assault in the Capitol is tragic for the country. Please call it off so the Congress can resume its peaceful debate. – Jay”
3:54 p.m. Riotous crowd cheers as the police in the inaugural tunnel are under assault. “USA! USA!”
3:57 p.m. Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “Is he coming out? He has to right?”
3:52 p.m. North Carolina lawyer Jay Leutze texts Mark Meadows: “Mark, this assault in the Capitol is tragic for the country. Please call it off so the Congress can resume its peaceful debate. – Jay”
3:54 p.m. Riotous crowd cheers as the police in the inaugural tunnel are under assault. “USA! USA!”
3:57 p.m. Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “Is he coming out? He has to right?”
3:57 p.m. Former Rep. Raul Labrador texts Mark Meadows: “My friend - I weep for our country today. Somebody needs to come out and calm this down. I believed in Trump and I would probably object to the certification today. You guys need to get Trump to say something to calm down the people, a tweet is not enough. This is crazy. I pray that people of goodwill can act to bring the tensions down. Praying for you and our nation.”
3:57 p.m. Rep. Louie Gohmert texts Mark Meadows: “Cap Police told me last night they’d been warned that today there’d be a lot of Antifa dressed in red Trump shirts & hats & would likely get violent. Good that Trump denounces violence but could add & well demand justice for those who became violent & well get to the bottom of what group they’re with.”
3:58 p.m. CBS News correspondent Benjamin Tracy texts Mark Meadows: “Is POTUS going to address nation on camera at all?”
3:58 p.m. Fox host Brian Kilmeade texts Mark Meadows: “Please get him on tv. Destroying every thing you guys have accomplished.”
4:02 p.m. Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “Will he speak ?”
4:03 p.m. ABC News reporter Katherine Faulders texts Mark Meadows: “Are you with him? Can anyone get through to him??”
4:03 p.m. A Twitter user posts a video of Trump supporters destroying media equipment at the Capitol. A man reportedly yells, “We are the news now!” Camera cords are tied into a noose and hung on a tree.
4:05 p.m. Joe Biden addresses the nation: “At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault, unlike anything we’ve ever seen in modern times: an assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol, itself; an assault on the people’s representatives and the Capitol Hill police sworn to protect them, the public servants who work at the heart of our republic; an assault on the rule of law like few times we’ve ever seen it; an assault on the most sacred of American undertakings, the doing of the people’s business. . . . What we are seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition, and it must end, now. . . . The words of a president matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite. Therefore, I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath, and defend the Constitution, and demand an end to this siege.”
Biden calls for a restoration “of decency, honor, respect, the rule of law—just plain, simple decency.” “Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile, and to preserve it requires people of good will, leaders with the courage to stand up, who are devoted not to the pursuit of power with personal interest, pursuit of their own selfish interests at any cost, but to the common good. . . . For more than two and a half centuries, we the people, in search of a more perfect union, have kept our eyes on that common good. . . . President Lincoln said, ‘We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last, best hope on earth.’ He went on to say, ‘The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just—a way, which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God must forever bless.’”
4:05 p.m. Don Trump, Jr., texts Mark Meadows: “We need an oval address. He has to lead now. It’s gone too far and gotten out of hand.”
4:08 p.m. From a secure location, Vice President Mike Pence calls acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller with the demand to “clear the Capitol.”
4:10 p.m. Mark Meadows replies to Rep. Jeffrey Duncan: “He is doing everything.”
4:10 p.m. Man with megaphone on west side reads Trump tweets posted during the siege, including: “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!”
4:11 p.m. Donald Trump Jr. texts Mark Meadows: “Now Biden beating us to the punch.”
4:13 p.m. CNN correspondent Jeremy Diamond texts Mark Meadows: “Will the President say or do anything to get this to stop? Hasn’t this all gone too far?”
4:15 p.m. Capitol Police and the ATF continue to investigate a suspicious package at the RNC building.
4:15 p.m. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler texts Mark Meadows: “We need to hear from the president. On TV. I hate that Biden jumped him on it.”
4:15 p.m. CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe observes that Trump has remained silent while “governors across the country [are] condemning this.” He notes that Joe Biden called for a halt: “The next president isn’t supposed to tell the current one to clean up the violence in the streets and to condemn it. My mother from Central America texted me a little while ago and said, ‘This is the sort of thing we see in Venezuela and Nicaragua. We don’t see this sort of thing in the United States.’”
4:17 p.m. Ben Tracy of CBS News reports from the White House: “We should expect some sort of video message some time soon. A little while back, we were walking in the West Wing. We could see in the Rose Garden they had set up a camera there, which is often a signal that the president is going to record some sort of message. But to the point you guys have been making, the president could have, in the course of the last hour and a half or two hours, simply walked down a very short hallway to the briefing room, where there are already cameras, and addressed the nation. He doesn’t have to necessarily take questions, but he has decided not to do that [brief the nation].” Tracy adds, “There is no apparent sense of urgency in the West Wing right now, and that is just kind of bizarre.” He says aids are huddled in offices, “watching it all play out,” and that Trump has been meeting with Mark Meadows and watching the events on television.
3:57 p.m. Rep. Louie Gohmert texts Mark Meadows: “Cap Police told me last night they’d been warned that today there’d be a lot of Antifa dressed in red Trump shirts & hats & would likely get violent. Good that Trump denounces violence but could add & well demand justice for those who became violent & well get to the bottom of what group they’re with.”
3:58 p.m. CBS News correspondent Benjamin Tracy texts Mark Meadows: “Is POTUS going to address nation on camera at all?”
3:58 p.m. Fox host Brian Kilmeade texts Mark Meadows: “Please get him on tv. Destroying every thing you guys have accomplished.”
4:02 p.m. Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “Will he speak ?”
4:03 p.m. ABC News reporter Katherine Faulders texts Mark Meadows: “Are you with him? Can anyone get through to him??”
4:03 p.m. A Twitter user posts a video of Trump supporters destroying media equipment at the Capitol. A man reportedly yells, “We are the news now!” Camera cords are tied into a noose and hung on a tree.
4:05 p.m. Joe Biden addresses the nation: “At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault, unlike anything we’ve ever seen in modern times: an assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol, itself; an assault on the people’s representatives and the Capitol Hill police sworn to protect them, the public servants who work at the heart of our republic; an assault on the rule of law like few times we’ve ever seen it; an assault on the most sacred of American undertakings, the doing of the people’s business. . . . What we are seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition, and it must end, now. . . . The words of a president matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite. Therefore, I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath, and defend the Constitution, and demand an end to this siege.”
Biden calls for a restoration “of decency, honor, respect, the rule of law—just plain, simple decency.” “Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile, and to preserve it requires people of good will, leaders with the courage to stand up, who are devoted not to the pursuit of power with personal interest, pursuit of their own selfish interests at any cost, but to the common good. . . . For more than two and a half centuries, we the people, in search of a more perfect union, have kept our eyes on that common good. . . . President Lincoln said, ‘We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last, best hope on earth.’ He went on to say, ‘The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just—a way, which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God must forever bless.’”
4:05 p.m. Don Trump, Jr., texts Mark Meadows: “We need an oval address. He has to lead now. It’s gone too far and gotten out of hand.”
4:08 p.m. From a secure location, Vice President Mike Pence calls acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller with the demand to “clear the Capitol.”
4:10 p.m. Mark Meadows replies to Rep. Jeffrey Duncan: “He is doing everything.”
4:10 p.m. Man with megaphone on west side reads Trump tweets posted during the siege, including: “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!”
4:11 p.m. Donald Trump Jr. texts Mark Meadows: “Now Biden beating us to the punch.”
4:13 p.m. CNN correspondent Jeremy Diamond texts Mark Meadows: “Will the President say or do anything to get this to stop? Hasn’t this all gone too far?”
4:15 p.m. Capitol Police and the ATF continue to investigate a suspicious package at the RNC building.
4:15 p.m. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler texts Mark Meadows: “We need to hear from the president. On TV. I hate that Biden jumped him on it.”
4:15 p.m. CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe observes that Trump has remained silent while “governors across the country [are] condemning this.” He notes that Joe Biden called for a halt: “The next president isn’t supposed to tell the current one to clean up the violence in the streets and to condemn it. My mother from Central America texted me a little while ago and said, ‘This is the sort of thing we see in Venezuela and Nicaragua. We don’t see this sort of thing in the United States.’”
4:17 p.m. Ben Tracy of CBS News reports from the White House: “We should expect some sort of video message some time soon. A little while back, we were walking in the West Wing. We could see in the Rose Garden they had set up a camera there, which is often a signal that the president is going to record some sort of message. But to the point you guys have been making, the president could have, in the course of the last hour and a half or two hours, simply walked down a very short hallway to the briefing room, where there are already cameras, and addressed the nation. He doesn’t have to necessarily take questions, but he has decided not to do that [brief the nation].” Tracy adds, “There is no apparent sense of urgency in the West Wing right now, and that is just kind of bizarre.” He says aids are huddled in offices, “watching it all play out,” and that Trump has been meeting with Mark Meadows and watching the events on television.
4:17 p.m. After three hours of watching the siege on television, Trump tweets a video (recorded at 4:03 p.m.) to his supporters rioting at the Capitol: “I know your pain. I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt. It’s a very tough period of time. There’s never been a time like this, where such a thing happened where they could take it away from all of us—from me, from you, from our country. This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special. You’ve seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home, and go home in peace.”
Three hours into the riot: Trump tells his "special" supporters to leave the Capitol
(Trump’s scripted speech read: “I urge all of my supporters to do exactly as 99.9% of them have already been doing—express their passions and opinions PEACEFULLY. My supporters have a right to have their voices heard, but make no mistake—NO ONE should be using violence or threats of violence to express themselves. Especially at the U.S. Capitol. Let’s respect our institutions. Let’s all do better. I am asking you to leave the Capitol Hill region NOW and go home in a peaceful way.” Instead of delivering these remarks, Trump spoke off-the-cuff.)
4:25 p.m. Standing at Capitol Hill, CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues says, “This crowd doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at this point.” He notes that there is now a larger law enforcement presence, and that tear gas was deployed ten minutes ago, after a long period without it, and that this was revving up the crowd. “What is happening here is it seems to be building to some sort of—I don’t know if confrontation is too strong a word—but some sort of faceoff between police and law enforcement, and this crowd that has gathered here. Over the last several minutes, we have seen some members of the crowd calling for more people to come to help them breach the Capitol. They aren’t backing down. They aren’t all going home. Many of them are staying out here, still encouraging people to climb the walls and breach this Capitol.”
4:26 p.m. A pastor (Randy?) records outside the west side. “Everything I said was going to happen has just happened here today.” He interviews a man who says he was eight feet away from the shooting of Ashli Babbitt. The man is clearly shaken. He identifies himself as Philip (Bromley?) and says he was speaking to SWAT members who were coming up the stairwell: “we were reminding them of their oath” (meaning, to help Trump overturn the election). Philip believes someone “opened up the glass door and shot” the woman, whom he described as “young,” about 16 years old. Pastor: “Can I pray for you? I’m a pastor. God, Lord, protect this soldier for You, this man that was brave. Father, Lord, I just declare right now, this lion heart, that angels of God be protecting over him. Any trauma from this event, Father, I just declare and decree right now, it’s all broken, that this man is secure and safe and held in Your hollow of Your hand, Lord. I thank you for his heart, to serve his country and be a patriot.” Philip: “All glory and victory to God!” Pastor: “Amen.”
4:26 p.m. Man in his 60s, wearing Trump hat and mask and a camo vest, on the west lawn: “We just got tear-gassed by the f***ing cops. We just got tear-gassed. Innocent people, standing around, exercising their right to free speech, and we got tear-gassed. Look at the ground! They’ve peppered it with rubber bullets, and they’ve just tear-gassed us.” Pans the sizable crowd. “Unheard of! They wouldn’t do that sh** to Antifa or BLM!”
4:26 p.m. During the hours-long battle at the inaugural entrance (the Chute), the site of the most brutal attack against officers, Rosanne Boyland dies at the feet of rioters. Officers are beaten with a crutch, lacrosse stick, rods, and flags. Rioters swing at police and charge over Boyland’s body, ignoring her friend’s pleas to save her, and making it impossible for police to help. Crowd yells, “Yeah!” “Pull them out!” “There ya go!”
4:25 p.m. Standing at Capitol Hill, CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues says, “This crowd doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at this point.” He notes that there is now a larger law enforcement presence, and that tear gas was deployed ten minutes ago, after a long period without it, and that this was revving up the crowd. “What is happening here is it seems to be building to some sort of—I don’t know if confrontation is too strong a word—but some sort of faceoff between police and law enforcement, and this crowd that has gathered here. Over the last several minutes, we have seen some members of the crowd calling for more people to come to help them breach the Capitol. They aren’t backing down. They aren’t all going home. Many of them are staying out here, still encouraging people to climb the walls and breach this Capitol.”
4:26 p.m. A pastor (Randy?) records outside the west side. “Everything I said was going to happen has just happened here today.” He interviews a man who says he was eight feet away from the shooting of Ashli Babbitt. The man is clearly shaken. He identifies himself as Philip (Bromley?) and says he was speaking to SWAT members who were coming up the stairwell: “we were reminding them of their oath” (meaning, to help Trump overturn the election). Philip believes someone “opened up the glass door and shot” the woman, whom he described as “young,” about 16 years old. Pastor: “Can I pray for you? I’m a pastor. God, Lord, protect this soldier for You, this man that was brave. Father, Lord, I just declare right now, this lion heart, that angels of God be protecting over him. Any trauma from this event, Father, I just declare and decree right now, it’s all broken, that this man is secure and safe and held in Your hollow of Your hand, Lord. I thank you for his heart, to serve his country and be a patriot.” Philip: “All glory and victory to God!” Pastor: “Amen.”
4:26 p.m. Man in his 60s, wearing Trump hat and mask and a camo vest, on the west lawn: “We just got tear-gassed by the f***ing cops. We just got tear-gassed. Innocent people, standing around, exercising their right to free speech, and we got tear-gassed. Look at the ground! They’ve peppered it with rubber bullets, and they’ve just tear-gassed us.” Pans the sizable crowd. “Unheard of! They wouldn’t do that sh** to Antifa or BLM!”
4:26 p.m. During the hours-long battle at the inaugural entrance (the Chute), the site of the most brutal attack against officers, Rosanne Boyland dies at the feet of rioters. Officers are beaten with a crutch, lacrosse stick, rods, and flags. Rioters swing at police and charge over Boyland’s body, ignoring her friend’s pleas to save her, and making it impossible for police to help. Crowd yells, “Yeah!” “Pull them out!” “There ya go!”
Rioters beat an officer unconscious at the Chute (4:26 pm)
Officer beaten unconscious lies next to Rosanne Boyland's body (4:27)
4:27 p.m. Police body cam footage shows Rosanne Boyland unresponsive at the West Terrace tunnel entrance. Rioters continue to assault officers, undeterred.
4:27 p.m. Man films the Trump crowd on the west side. “These are the people I’m proud of. Good people!”
4:28 p.m. Police radio: “We’ve got another officer unconscious. At the terrace, West Terrace.”
4:28 p.m. Man on a window ledge next to the inaugural tunnel bashes in window with a metal baseball bat. He is standing feet away from Rosanne Boyland, who is on the ground.
4:29 p.m. Man in his 40s or 50s stands on a sidewalk on the west side. “We’re at war, guys. They’ve shot a couple people already. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m definitely going to be there.”
4:30 p.m. Man in a black helmet stands south to the inaugural platform, watching the crowd attack police at the tunnel. Into a bullhorn, he shouts, “By the graces of God, we love you. We are fighting for America. Fighting for your daughters. Facebook has put top dollar into humiliation in America. It’s more valuable than oil. They want your virgin daughters and your virgin sons. We have become the [Soros?] puppet for the world!”
4:31 p.m. Near the inaugural tunnel, the violent assault on police continues. Crowd screams, “Freeeedom!” “USA!”
4:32 p.m. Man stabs police in the tunnel with a long pole.
4:32 p.m. Woman away from the crowd speaks to the camera about being “tear-gassed” with “military grade.” “Never felt more alive. We’re true patriots. Really.”
4:34 p.m. Aggression on the north side. People shout “Traitors!” at the police. “You took an oath, man! F***ing traitors!”
4:27 p.m. Man films the Trump crowd on the west side. “These are the people I’m proud of. Good people!”
4:28 p.m. Police radio: “We’ve got another officer unconscious. At the terrace, West Terrace.”
4:28 p.m. Man on a window ledge next to the inaugural tunnel bashes in window with a metal baseball bat. He is standing feet away from Rosanne Boyland, who is on the ground.
4:29 p.m. Man in his 40s or 50s stands on a sidewalk on the west side. “We’re at war, guys. They’ve shot a couple people already. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m definitely going to be there.”
4:30 p.m. Man in a black helmet stands south to the inaugural platform, watching the crowd attack police at the tunnel. Into a bullhorn, he shouts, “By the graces of God, we love you. We are fighting for America. Fighting for your daughters. Facebook has put top dollar into humiliation in America. It’s more valuable than oil. They want your virgin daughters and your virgin sons. We have become the [Soros?] puppet for the world!”
4:31 p.m. Near the inaugural tunnel, the violent assault on police continues. Crowd screams, “Freeeedom!” “USA!”
4:32 p.m. Man stabs police in the tunnel with a long pole.
4:32 p.m. Woman away from the crowd speaks to the camera about being “tear-gassed” with “military grade.” “Never felt more alive. We’re true patriots. Really.”
4:34 p.m. Aggression on the north side. People shout “Traitors!” at the police. “You took an oath, man! F***ing traitors!”
Clash on the north side (4:34 pm)
4:45 p.m. Man walking on sidewalk complains about Biden and the media, and says Trump supporters had the right to breach the Capitol. “That’s our Capitol. That’s not the politicians’ Capitol.”
4:45 p.m. In a secure location, Sen. Mitch McConnell is recorded saying privately, “We’re not going to let these people—we need you to get the building cleared. Give us the OK so we can go back in session and finish up the people’s business as soon as possible.”
4:50 p.m. Cops attempt to clear rioters on the west side. Crowd chants, “Police, stand down! Police, stand down!” Grinning man wears a green shirt with Pepe the Frog, an image co-opted by alt-right racists and similarly the social hub Gab.
4:51 p.m. Reporter Joel Burgess texts Mark Meadows: “Mark—Joel Burgess from the Asheville Citizen Times here. What are your thoughts on the people who stormed the Capitol? Do you condemn their actions? How much is the President to blame for inciting them?”
4:45 p.m. In a secure location, Sen. Mitch McConnell is recorded saying privately, “We’re not going to let these people—we need you to get the building cleared. Give us the OK so we can go back in session and finish up the people’s business as soon as possible.”
4:50 p.m. Cops attempt to clear rioters on the west side. Crowd chants, “Police, stand down! Police, stand down!” Grinning man wears a green shirt with Pepe the Frog, an image co-opted by alt-right racists and similarly the social hub Gab.
4:51 p.m. Reporter Joel Burgess texts Mark Meadows: “Mark—Joel Burgess from the Asheville Citizen Times here. What are your thoughts on the people who stormed the Capitol? Do you condemn their actions? How much is the President to blame for inciting them?”
4:51 p.m. Heavy metal music blares on the west side of the Capitol. Flashing in the tunnel. Woman says, “Why are they treating us with gas? We’re not doing anything.” She complains they are being treated worse than Black Lives Matter and Antifa.
4:54 p.m. Rioter wearing “Guns Save Lives” sticker tells his story to random women in a hotel: “Ten minutes after we started storming, a big fight broke out, a gun shot off, and a girl got shot in the neck.” He admits he sprayed fifteen officers with pepper spray. Women reply, “Thank you. Thank you. We’re very proud of you,” and, “We appreciate you,” to the rioter.
4:57 p.m. Rioters inside the Capitol rummage through a vandalized room. Female rioter in the background says, “I will die for this country.”
4:54 p.m. Rioter wearing “Guns Save Lives” sticker tells his story to random women in a hotel: “Ten minutes after we started storming, a big fight broke out, a gun shot off, and a girl got shot in the neck.” He admits he sprayed fifteen officers with pepper spray. Women reply, “Thank you. Thank you. We’re very proud of you,” and, “We appreciate you,” to the rioter.
4:57 p.m. Rioters inside the Capitol rummage through a vandalized room. Female rioter in the background says, “I will die for this country.”
Capitol office is vandalized by rioters
5:04 p.m. Wreckage of media equipment vandalized at the Capitol by the mob includes cases labeled AP, Associated Press. Rioters stand in a circle around the pile of equipment. “Start a fire!” they yell. “That’s what happens when the f***ing fake news shows up at a patriot rally.” “They are not going to be able to face the people. They will not not be able to walk down the streets. They ran away today.” “Cowards!” “We’re taking back this country!” “Let’s go to the Supreme Court!” “F*** this pile of trash!”
Trump supporters smash media equipment on Capitol grounds
5:04 p.m. Police continue to regain the inaugural platform and tunnel with tear gas and flash bangs. As the crowd is overcome, a woman prays: “In the name of Jesus Christ, Lord, I ask for your protection, Lord!” Man yells at police, “Traitors!”
5:05 p.m. Media outlets report the appearance of pro-Trump demonstrators at various state capitol buildings. Some arrive armed (Georgia, Oklahoma). Others cheer in support of the attack on the U.S. Capitol (Minnesota). Staff are evacuated (Utah, New Mexico). Proud Boys clash with counter-protesters (Ohio).
5:05 p.m. Facing the inaugural platform at the U.S. Capitol, the crowd is dazed. QAnon Shaman yells through loud speaker, “We have won! We now have won. Today is ours, ladies and gentlemen! We won the f***ing day! Today is ours! We won the day! That’s right. Donald Trump has asked everybody to just go home.” QAnon Shaman continues, “You can look it up on your Twitter. He has posted a video, it’s a minute long, asking everybody to go home.” Someone shouts, laughing, “Too bad my internet’s not working!” QAnon Shaman answers, “Do whatever you want. This is America, baby. I don’t give a sh**. I’m just telling you what the president said.” Someone says to the cameraman: “He’s the one that went in and broke in.”
5:06 p.m. Man is shouting to get families home: “People up there are trying to burn down our Capitol, and I did not come here for that sh**. It ain’t patriots up there anymore. If you go look, they look like Antifa. They don’t look like me. They don’t look like you guys. It is time. They are going to be hunting the families down trying to go home now. They’ve got us here after dark. I see a lot of women. I see a lot of kids. Get your families home. Get out of here.”
5:05 p.m. Media outlets report the appearance of pro-Trump demonstrators at various state capitol buildings. Some arrive armed (Georgia, Oklahoma). Others cheer in support of the attack on the U.S. Capitol (Minnesota). Staff are evacuated (Utah, New Mexico). Proud Boys clash with counter-protesters (Ohio).
5:05 p.m. Facing the inaugural platform at the U.S. Capitol, the crowd is dazed. QAnon Shaman yells through loud speaker, “We have won! We now have won. Today is ours, ladies and gentlemen! We won the f***ing day! Today is ours! We won the day! That’s right. Donald Trump has asked everybody to just go home.” QAnon Shaman continues, “You can look it up on your Twitter. He has posted a video, it’s a minute long, asking everybody to go home.” Someone shouts, laughing, “Too bad my internet’s not working!” QAnon Shaman answers, “Do whatever you want. This is America, baby. I don’t give a sh**. I’m just telling you what the president said.” Someone says to the cameraman: “He’s the one that went in and broke in.”
5:06 p.m. Man is shouting to get families home: “People up there are trying to burn down our Capitol, and I did not come here for that sh**. It ain’t patriots up there anymore. If you go look, they look like Antifa. They don’t look like me. They don’t look like you guys. It is time. They are going to be hunting the families down trying to go home now. They’ve got us here after dark. I see a lot of women. I see a lot of kids. Get your families home. Get out of here.”
Officers fight to regain control of the Capitol
5:06 p.m. Man asks QAnon Shaman: “How’d you get out?” Shaman, “Of the Senate?” Man: “Yeah.” Shaman: “Cops walked out with me.” Man: “They just, they just let you go?” Shaman: “Yeah.” Man: “What is your message to everybody now? Like, what were you yelling out?” Shaman: “Oh. Donald Trump asked everybody to go home. He just put out a tweet. It’s a minute long. He asked everybody to go home.” Man: “Why do you think so?” Shaman: “Because, man. We won the f***ing day! We f***ing won!” Man: “But how did we win?” Shaman: “We won by sending a message to the Senators and the Congressmen. We won by sending a message to Pence, okay, that if they don’t do their oath to do, to uphold the Constitution, then we will remove them from office one way or another!” Someone cautions QAnon Shaman, “This man is recording you. He’s not on our side.” Shaman: “That’s fine. I don’t care. I’m fine with being recorded. All I can say is, we won the f***ing day! Donald Trump is still our president!” Man asks what he would say to people who doubt he was able to go in and come out: “What do you say to them that doubt that you just came out.” Shaman: “Well, a lot of people doubted. A lot of people doubted a lot of prophets, saints. A lot of people doubted Christ. You know?”
5:07 p.m. Crowd is exiting the west side, en masse, coughing. Narrator: “This is what happens when the people demand free and fair elections.” Irate man yells, “They shot tear gas into people who were peacefully protesting!” Woman: “Well, they just teargassed everybody, after they killed a girl inside, apparently. Now the cops are tear-gassing Americans.” Trump supporters yell obscenities at police. Man yells through bullhorn: “You signed an oath to support the United Constitution, and you’re breaking it! You signed an oath to protect us! You signed an oath to protect us, not to do this [tear-gassing]. I hope when you go home tonight, you can look your family in the eye.”
5:08 p.m. D.C. National Guard Maj. Gen. William Walker receives approval from the Defense Department to employ guardsmen to the Capitol, after a three-hour wait. He sends a hundred fifty-five troops that had been waiting on buses for approval.
5:10 p.m. Police have secured the inaugural platform. People at the base toss back smoke bombs. “Traitors!” “F*** the blue!”
5:12 p.m. Man on west side: “I just got gassed by my own government. First time for everything.” Points to Capitol Police: “They’re cowards! They swore an oath to the Constitution, and they’re breaking that oath by attacking taxpaying citizens.”
5:13 p.m. Capitol Police in riot gear descend west stairs, clearing the crowd.
5:18 p.m. Man on west lawn identifies himself as Andrew White from “National File,” and interviews fellow Trump supporters who were tear-gassed. White: “How do you guys feel about what just happened?” A woman named Tammy and a Mr. Brown reply, “Unbelievable.” Mr. Brown: “It’s unbelievable. This is not the America we grew up in. Somebody’s going to get hurt, because there has been no justice on our side. So, we will take justice into our own hands.” Mr. White asks Tammy if she has any words for Mayor Bowser. Tammy: “I would say you are a disgrace to America. I would say that you are an absolute unAmerican person. For you to tell your people to teargas—this is my mom. She is 70 years old. She is a double breast cancer survivor, and we just got tear-gassed.” She thanks “patriots” for helping them off the inaugural stage. “If it wasn’t for these patriots, I don’t know what we would have done.” Mr. White blames the “corrupt mayor, giving some illegal order to do something like this.” Tammy worries about walking twenty blocks back to her hotel: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. Are we going to get attacked? Because we have to go by Black Lives Matter. Are we going to get attacked?” Man says, “You’ll be good. That’s the easiest fight.” Tammy: “This is reminiscent of what happened in Germany, in Hitler’s Germany.” She continues, “You know what? We’ve got to stand up, and we’ve got to stop this tyranny, because this is not right, this is wrong. They work for us. We don’t work for them. This is our home. This is our Capitol. We own this. They don’t own it. We own it. And if we want to walk up on those steps, we should be allowed to walk up on those steps.”
5:07 p.m. Crowd is exiting the west side, en masse, coughing. Narrator: “This is what happens when the people demand free and fair elections.” Irate man yells, “They shot tear gas into people who were peacefully protesting!” Woman: “Well, they just teargassed everybody, after they killed a girl inside, apparently. Now the cops are tear-gassing Americans.” Trump supporters yell obscenities at police. Man yells through bullhorn: “You signed an oath to support the United Constitution, and you’re breaking it! You signed an oath to protect us! You signed an oath to protect us, not to do this [tear-gassing]. I hope when you go home tonight, you can look your family in the eye.”
5:08 p.m. D.C. National Guard Maj. Gen. William Walker receives approval from the Defense Department to employ guardsmen to the Capitol, after a three-hour wait. He sends a hundred fifty-five troops that had been waiting on buses for approval.
5:10 p.m. Police have secured the inaugural platform. People at the base toss back smoke bombs. “Traitors!” “F*** the blue!”
5:12 p.m. Man on west side: “I just got gassed by my own government. First time for everything.” Points to Capitol Police: “They’re cowards! They swore an oath to the Constitution, and they’re breaking that oath by attacking taxpaying citizens.”
5:13 p.m. Capitol Police in riot gear descend west stairs, clearing the crowd.
5:18 p.m. Man on west lawn identifies himself as Andrew White from “National File,” and interviews fellow Trump supporters who were tear-gassed. White: “How do you guys feel about what just happened?” A woman named Tammy and a Mr. Brown reply, “Unbelievable.” Mr. Brown: “It’s unbelievable. This is not the America we grew up in. Somebody’s going to get hurt, because there has been no justice on our side. So, we will take justice into our own hands.” Mr. White asks Tammy if she has any words for Mayor Bowser. Tammy: “I would say you are a disgrace to America. I would say that you are an absolute unAmerican person. For you to tell your people to teargas—this is my mom. She is 70 years old. She is a double breast cancer survivor, and we just got tear-gassed.” She thanks “patriots” for helping them off the inaugural stage. “If it wasn’t for these patriots, I don’t know what we would have done.” Mr. White blames the “corrupt mayor, giving some illegal order to do something like this.” Tammy worries about walking twenty blocks back to her hotel: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. Are we going to get attacked? Because we have to go by Black Lives Matter. Are we going to get attacked?” Man says, “You’ll be good. That’s the easiest fight.” Tammy: “This is reminiscent of what happened in Germany, in Hitler’s Germany.” She continues, “You know what? We’ve got to stand up, and we’ve got to stop this tyranny, because this is not right, this is wrong. They work for us. We don’t work for them. This is our home. This is our Capitol. We own this. They don’t own it. We own it. And if we want to walk up on those steps, we should be allowed to walk up on those steps.”
5:20 p.m. Maj. Gen. William Walker and the D.C. National Guard troops arrive at the Capitol, a hundred and fifty-five total.
5:23 p.m. Dusk. Crowd is primarily standing on the lawn. Loud speaker plays “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”
5:26 p.m. Cops in riot gear move the crowd back.
5:26 p.m. Man walks up street: “Well, they teargassed the h*** out of us.” Grins, “All in all, it was a beautiful day.”
5:28 p.m. Police move the crowd away from the Capitol. Explosions.
5:28 p.m. Near the foot of the inaugural platform, rioters continue to harass cops.
5:23 p.m. Dusk. Crowd is primarily standing on the lawn. Loud speaker plays “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”
5:26 p.m. Cops in riot gear move the crowd back.
5:26 p.m. Man walks up street: “Well, they teargassed the h*** out of us.” Grins, “All in all, it was a beautiful day.”
5:28 p.m. Police move the crowd away from the Capitol. Explosions.
5:28 p.m. Near the foot of the inaugural platform, rioters continue to harass cops.
Police have regained control of the inaugural stage (west), yet harassment continues
5:35 p.m. Rioters throw metal objects at police. Officer Jeffrey Smith is struck in the face shield with an object that causes extreme pain in his neck and face. (Officer Smith would take his own life nine days later during his drive to work.)
5:37 p.m. Police continue to move crowd away from the inaugural platform. People yell obscenities. Someone claims the cops “hurt an old lady.” Cop says, “We don’t want to hurt anybody.” Man replies, “You just f***ing did! You f***ing piece of sh**!”
5:39 p.m. Dark. Police have moved the crowd away from the Capitol. People yell, “Communist soldiers!”
5:37 p.m. Police continue to move crowd away from the inaugural platform. People yell obscenities. Someone claims the cops “hurt an old lady.” Cop says, “We don’t want to hurt anybody.” Man replies, “You just f***ing did! You f***ing piece of sh**!”
5:39 p.m. Dark. Police have moved the crowd away from the Capitol. People yell, “Communist soldiers!”
5:45 p.m. Christopher Miller finally authorizes non-D.C. National Guard deployment to the Capitol. They arrive the next day at 10:00 a.m., from Maryland.
5:59 p.m. Mike Pence informs members of Congress that order will be restored in an hour and the House and Senate will be able to reconvene.
6:01 p.m. Donald Trump tweets: “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”
6:20 p.m. ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl texts Mark Meadows: “Have you considered resigning?”
7:00 p.m. [approximate time] Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani accidentally leaves a voicemail on the wrong phone, intended for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), to urge the Senator to stop the “rush” and delay the certification for days. Giuliani’s recording makes no reference to the siege.
7:02 p.m. Twitter places a 12-hour lock on Trump’s account for violating its civic policy.
7:13 p.m. Members of Congress reenter the Capitol Building.
7:55 p.m. Chief of staff to the First Lady and the White House Deputy Press Secretary resign.
7:56 p.m. Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “What are you advising potus at this hour?”
7:57 p.m. Sean Hannity texts Mark Meadows: “Wth is happening with VPOTUS.”
7:59 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence is urged by seventeen members of Congress to invoke the 25th Amendment. He declines.
8:10 p.m. The Senate resumes its session regarding the certification of electoral votes. Several Republican Senators announce they have changed their votes and will now accept the 2020 election outcome.
8:42 p.m. Sean Hannity texts Mark Meadows a tweet from Ed O’Keefe: “JUST IN: ‘This is not news we deliver lightly,’ @margbrennan says as she reports: Trump Cabinet secretaries are discussing invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump. Nothing formal yet presented to VP Pence. ‘I’m talking about actual members of the Cabinet,’ she says.”
8:47 p.m. Jason Miller flags Mark Meadows to the O’Keefe tweet.
9:00 p.m. The House resumes its session regarding the certification of electoral votes.
9:00 p.m. Journalist Stephen Hayes texts Mark Meadows: “Mark—I have a voicemail that Rudy Giuliani left for Senator Tuberville at about 7pm, urging the senator to slow the proceedings down so new evidence can be presented tomorrow. He introduces himself w/a suggestion he’s acting on behalf of the president, saying he’s the president’s lawyer. Did Pres Trump ask him to call? Did he know about this effort? I’m filing something shortly. Thanks. Steve.”
9:49 p.m. The Hill reporter Al Weaver texts Mark Meadows: “Are you resigning.” Meadows replies at 10:21, “Off the record. No.”
10:00 p.m. [approximate time] Officer Brian Sicknick collapses while returning to his division office. He is rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator for a stroke and a blood clot.
10:47 p.m. CNBC correspondent Kayla Tausche texts Mark Meadows: “Hi Congressman. Kayla from CNBC here. Are you planning to stay in the administration until 1/20? Do you have any reaction to reports that Cabinet secretaries are considering invoking the 25th amendment?”
5:59 p.m. Mike Pence informs members of Congress that order will be restored in an hour and the House and Senate will be able to reconvene.
6:01 p.m. Donald Trump tweets: “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!”
6:20 p.m. ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl texts Mark Meadows: “Have you considered resigning?”
7:00 p.m. [approximate time] Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani accidentally leaves a voicemail on the wrong phone, intended for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), to urge the Senator to stop the “rush” and delay the certification for days. Giuliani’s recording makes no reference to the siege.
7:02 p.m. Twitter places a 12-hour lock on Trump’s account for violating its civic policy.
7:13 p.m. Members of Congress reenter the Capitol Building.
7:55 p.m. Chief of staff to the First Lady and the White House Deputy Press Secretary resign.
7:56 p.m. Kristen Welker texts Mark Meadows: “What are you advising potus at this hour?”
7:57 p.m. Sean Hannity texts Mark Meadows: “Wth is happening with VPOTUS.”
7:59 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence is urged by seventeen members of Congress to invoke the 25th Amendment. He declines.
8:10 p.m. The Senate resumes its session regarding the certification of electoral votes. Several Republican Senators announce they have changed their votes and will now accept the 2020 election outcome.
8:42 p.m. Sean Hannity texts Mark Meadows a tweet from Ed O’Keefe: “JUST IN: ‘This is not news we deliver lightly,’ @margbrennan says as she reports: Trump Cabinet secretaries are discussing invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump. Nothing formal yet presented to VP Pence. ‘I’m talking about actual members of the Cabinet,’ she says.”
8:47 p.m. Jason Miller flags Mark Meadows to the O’Keefe tweet.
9:00 p.m. The House resumes its session regarding the certification of electoral votes.
9:00 p.m. Journalist Stephen Hayes texts Mark Meadows: “Mark—I have a voicemail that Rudy Giuliani left for Senator Tuberville at about 7pm, urging the senator to slow the proceedings down so new evidence can be presented tomorrow. He introduces himself w/a suggestion he’s acting on behalf of the president, saying he’s the president’s lawyer. Did Pres Trump ask him to call? Did he know about this effort? I’m filing something shortly. Thanks. Steve.”
9:49 p.m. The Hill reporter Al Weaver texts Mark Meadows: “Are you resigning.” Meadows replies at 10:21, “Off the record. No.”
10:00 p.m. [approximate time] Officer Brian Sicknick collapses while returning to his division office. He is rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator for a stroke and a blood clot.
10:47 p.m. CNBC correspondent Kayla Tausche texts Mark Meadows: “Hi Congressman. Kayla from CNBC here. Are you planning to stay in the administration until 1/20? Do you have any reaction to reports that Cabinet secretaries are considering invoking the 25th amendment?”
Owen Shroyer and Alex Jones livestream after leaving the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021
