It is a darkish day in America. A mob of Trump supporters have breached Capitol safety and damaged into the constructing to oppose the counting of electoral votes. 

Crowds of individuals — many who had been seen sporting MAGA hats and waving American and pro-Trump flags — stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday afternoon, sending Congress into lockdown and inflicting chaos in Washington, D.C. The rioters vastly outnumbered Capitol safety to the purpose the place they had been in a position to filter inside after breaking glass, leaving many to surprise why authorities weren’t extra ready to take motion and management the scene.

The tried coup got here because the certification of Joe Biden’s election was underway inside — and on the identical day that Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock received the Georgia Senate runoff elections. Nevertheless, the pro-Trump “Cease the Steal” rally was deliberate for Jan. 6 forward of time, and Trump has been encouraging supporters to attend on social media. He even mentioned he’d make an appearance at what he known as a “historic day.” 

When the scenario began to get out of hand, fairly than intervene and discourage the massive crowd from forcibly gaining entry to the Capitol, Trump tweeted a criticism of Vice President Mike Pence which was broadly seen as egging on the mob.

Because the scenario in D.C. continues to escalate and rioters seem to freely roam by means of the Capitol with out a lot legislation enforcement opposition, it is arduous to not assume again to the Black Lives Matter protests that happened across the nation final summer time after George Floyd was murdered by police.

What we’re seeing proper now’s how the Black Lives Matter protests had been portrayed however by no means had been.

— Charlie McDowell (@charliemcdowell) January 6, 2021

The dearth of preliminary police intervention in these Capitol riots supplies a stark distinction to the best way authorities dealt with peaceable protesters final summer time. Many anti-racism protesters had been met with extreme police presences, pepper spray, tear fuel, and extra excessive ways that we have now but to see on show on the Capitol. This is a have a look at how otherwise the 2 conditions had been dealt with. (Alternating pictures between the Capitol riot and 2020 protests.)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest exterior the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. – Demonstrators breeched safety and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 02: Members of the D.C. Nationwide Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as demonstrators take part in a peaceable protest towards police brutality and the dying of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests proceed to be held in cities all through the nation over the dying of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on Might 25. (Picture by Win McNamee/Getty Photos)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump take over stands arrange for the presidential inauguration as they protest on the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021. – Demonstrators breeched safety and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Picture by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Picture by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 02: Members of the D.C. Nationwide Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial monitoring demonstrators throughout a peaceable protest towards police brutality and the dying of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. Protests proceed to be held in cities all through the nation over the dying of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on Might 25. (Picture by Win McNamee/Getty Photos)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump enter the US Capitol’s Rotunda on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. – Demonstrators breeched safety and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Picture by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Picture by SAUL LOEB/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 1: Police conflict with protesters throughout an indication on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets all through Washington to proceed to point out anger after the dying of George Floyd whereas in police custody in Minneapolis. Police officer Derek Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck earlier than he was later pronounced useless at a neighborhood hospital. Floyd’s dying, the latest in a sequence of deaths of African Individuals by the hands of police, has set off days and nights of protests throughout the nation. (Picture by Joshua Roberts/Getty Photos)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump roam underneath the Capitol Rotunda after invading the Capitol constructing on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. – Demonstrators breeched safety and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Picture by Saul LOEB / AFP) (Picture by SAUL LOEB/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 06: A demonstrator stands in entrance of the Lincoln Memorial throughout a peaceable protest towards police brutality and the dying of George Floyd, on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Persons are anticipated to descend on Washington to take part in peaceable protests within the wake of the dying of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on Might 25. (Picture by Win McNamee/Getty Photos)

A person calls on folks to raid the constructing as Trump supporters conflict with police and safety forces as they attempt to storm the US Capitol in Washington D.C on January 6, 2021. – Demonstrators breeched safety and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Picture by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Picture by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 01: Demonstrators confront legislation enforcement throughout a protest on June 1, 2020 in downtown Washington, DC. Protests and riots proceed in cities throughout America following the dying of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin, 44, was charged final Friday with third-degree homicide and second-degree manslaughter.. (Picture by Drew Angerer/Getty Photos)

Trump supporters conflict with police and safety forces as folks attempt to storm the US Capitol Constructing in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. – Demonstrators breeched safety and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Picture by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Picture by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos

TOPSHOT – A protestor raises her palms close to a line of Nationwide Guard troopers deployed close to the White Home on June 1, 2020 as demonstrations towards George Floyd’s dying proceed. – Police fired tear fuel exterior the White Home late Sunday as anti-racism protestors once more took to the streets to voice fury at police brutality, and main US cities had been put underneath curfew to suppress rioting.With the Trump administration branding instigators of six nights of rioting as home terrorists, there have been extra confrontations between protestors and police and contemporary outbreaks of looting. Native US leaders appealed to residents to provide constructive outlet to their rage over the dying of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, whereas night-time curfews had been imposed in cities together with Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. (Picture by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) / ALTERNATE CROP (Picture by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos