Published 23:21 IST, January 12th 2021
Trump defends his speech after which supporters stormed US Capitol: 'Totally appropriate'
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, defended his speech last week in which he egged his his supporters to 'March onto Capitol Hill', reports AFP.
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In a shocking comment mere six days after his supporters stormed Capitol building, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, defended his speech last week in which he egged his supporters to 'March onto Capitol Hill', reports AFP. Calling his speech 'totally appropriate', Trump also called clampdown on his social media accounts as a 'catastrophic mistake'. He also lambasted Democrat-controlled Congress for moving articles of impeachment, saying it was causing 'tremendous anger' and that move was 'absolutely ridiculous', as per AFP.
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Trump defends his 'pre-riot' speech
House proceeds with impeachment
On Monday, Democrat-controlled US Congress introduced formal articles of impeachment against incumbent President, according to CNN. Charging Trump with "incitement of insurrection", with respect to US Capitol riots, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer sought to vote on articles by Wednesday. Hoyer had also moved a bill seeking Trump's ouster through 25th Amendment- which can be invoked by US Vice President Mike Pence and or cabinet members, but was blocked by House Republicans. Speaker Pelosi has sought Pence's response within 24 hours, once bill is re-introduced on floor, but Pence has refused to oust Trump. An emergency has been declared in Washington D.C till January 24, amid threats to inaugural.
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US Capitol siege by Pro-Trump supporters
On Wednesday afteron, thousands of Trump supporters broke barricades outside Capitol, and marched into building. Scaling walls using scaffolding and breaking windows to enter building. Inside building, rioters banged on doors, trying to push through doors and fought with police. As per reports, by 2 PM, Capitol Police ordered all staff, reporters and nearby senators into Senate chamber, which was sealed off and put on lockdown. Visuals from inside Capitol show rioters inside US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, inside Congress and Senate Hall as police officers deployed tear gas inside building. After building was secured, at least four people have died, 52 have been arrested and over a dozen police officers have been injured - two succumbed.
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Reports state that siege on Capitol Hill occurred after President Trump had given a speech from White House, urging protesters to march on Capitol after making false claims of electoral fraud. In face of a slew of resignations from White House staff and his cabinet, Trump condemned attacks and stated that he will t be attending Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' inauguration ceremony on January 20. Twitter and Facebook have w permanently banned from platform saying 'due to risk of furr incitement of violence'. Joe Biden was elected as 46th US President on 7 vember winning 306 electoral college votes to Trump's 232 and he also won popular vote, with 51% of votes - amassing 8,12,83,485 ballots.
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23:21 IST, January 12th 2021