I'm home, and will post my footage of the #CapitolHill riot chronologically as I go through it.
These are some of the scenes I first saw arriving at the Capitol, just as they breached the perimeter.
Fighting largely focused on the first set of steps.
These are some of the scenes I first saw arriving at the Capitol, just as they breached the perimeter.
Fighting largely focused on the first set of steps.
One person fell off the steps (which I didn't manage to capture on video).
Trump supporters accused officers of pushing him off. He was taken away in a stretcher. His condition is unclear to me.
Trump supporters accused officers of pushing him off. He was taken away in a stretcher. His condition is unclear to me.
It was shortly after that that Trump supporters began pushing harder, to the point that police retreated up the steps.
In my opinion, this was basically the critical moment that caused everything else tonight to happen.
Police threw some tear gas back as they retreated.
In my opinion, this was basically the critical moment that caused everything else tonight to happen.
Police threw some tear gas back as they retreated.
It was then that with the area above the steps taken over by Trump supporters, they were able to help others climb over the wall onto Capitol grounds.
In one of the first fights, police tried to arrest someone, and then Trump supporters tried to restrain that guy. The cops didn't end up getting him anyway.
The Trump supporters began going up the east steps of the Capitol to storm through the door.
Oathkeepers specifically played a role in the initial pressing forward there.
Oathkeepers specifically played a role in the initial pressing forward there.
Trump supporters were blocked by riot cops when they got the door opened, but they pretty easily managed to wrestle away a riot shield and start going in.
People kept going in and out of the Capitol entrance. One man came outside to announce that "they have evacuated all of the senators and house of Representatives."
He said they therefore had "done their job" and tried to call people back.
It didn't end there.
He said they therefore had "done their job" and tried to call people back.
It didn't end there.
People kept encouraging others to enter, and police struggled to force the door closed again, which didn't last.
Some participants in the Capitol insurgency seemed to find it a novelty.
This woman posed for a picture in front of a broken window into a senate office, and then two men joined her to also take pictures.
This woman posed for a picture in front of a broken window into a senate office, and then two men joined her to also take pictures.
Cops tried to use sting balls & pepper spray to repel the crowd, who retaliated by throwing things. Listen closely at the beginning of this and you'll hear three bursts of automatic sting-ball fire from police.
A Trump supporter suggested taking the cops' masks off their faces.
A Trump supporter suggested taking the cops' masks off their faces.
I spoke to one activist who says Mike Pence caused the "situation."
He *then* mentioned that a girl was shot dead. This is the precise moment I found out about that and asked him questions about it.
To be completely frank, I didn't believe it at the time.
He *then* mentioned that a girl was shot dead. This is the precise moment I found out about that and asked him questions about it.
To be completely frank, I didn't believe it at the time.
Police finally managed to get the door closed after several officers managed to spray mace at the crowd.
Of course, the main entrance on the capitol steps wasn't the only territory being fought over.
Around the corner, officers also struggled to contain a crowd calling them "traitors."
Police tried to enter the crowd but retreated and used a fire extinguisher as a weapon.
Around the corner, officers also struggled to contain a crowd calling them "traitors."
Police tried to enter the crowd but retreated and used a fire extinguisher as a weapon.
Officers attempted to use zipties to lock the door shut. When that didn't work, they opened the door and dumped a fire extinguisher into the crowd in a last-ditch effort to get them to retreat down the steps.
That time, it worked.
That time, it worked.
A lot happens in this clip.
As riot police push forward, Trump supporters tried to wrestle them back.
Police deploy two flash grenades at the crowd, and one Trump supporter (53 seconds into the clip) retaliates by trying to mace the cops.
As riot police push forward, Trump supporters tried to wrestle them back.
Police deploy two flash grenades at the crowd, and one Trump supporter (53 seconds into the clip) retaliates by trying to mace the cops.
Some Trump supporters chanted that officers were "New World Order sellouts!"
Having basically been repelled from the Capitol building, the group then stormed toward the area that cable news outlets tend to man outside the Capitol.
Journalists fled, leaving behind a lot of their equipment, which the Trump supporters then smashed.
Journalists fled, leaving behind a lot of their equipment, which the Trump supporters then smashed.
"Fuck fake news! Fuck fake news!" the Trump supporters chanted as they finished smashing the property they seized from cable news camera operators outside the Capitol.
With the Capitol building seemingly closer to secure as the sun set, police began sweeping through the west (National Mall) side.
At least one flash grenade was deployed in the process.
At least one flash grenade was deployed in the process.
Trump supporters fought with the police moving forward, and even managed to de-arrest one of their comrades as the police deployed mace against them.
The very last thing I saw before leaving the scene after the Capitol was cleared was Trump supporters singing "Star-Spangled Banner" and waving a "Trump 2020" flag.
Here is my full HD video summary of the pro-Trump insurgency at the Capitol today.
As always, all footage available to license.
As always, all footage available to license.
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