Shocking images released on Sunday offer a new glimpse of the deadly turmoil on the United States Capitol, – following the invaders as they search for mayor Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers, sit in Vice President Mike Pence’s chair and rummage through the documents legislators.
The nearly 13 minutes of edited footage was shot by war correspondent Luke Mogelson and published on Sunday by The New Yorker, of which Mogelson is a contributing writer.
The video begins with scenes of hordes of pro-Trump protesters dominating the U.S. Capitol Police and reaching the seat of American democracy through broken doors and windows.
“You are outnumbered!” a rowdy can be heard telling a small contingent of police officers trying to hold the line inside a Capitol corridor. “There are a million of us out there, and we are listening to Trump, your boss!”
The contingent of hooligans supported the oppressed policemen down a corridor the size of their group and climbed a ladder, with an invader shouting as he said goodbye: “We love you! Calm down!”
A group of dozens shouted: “Betrayal! Betrayal! Betrayal! “As they walked down the halls, the video shows.
“TOC Toc!” a man scoffed when the doors of the Senate gallery were thrown open, causing the rioters to enter. “Was here!”
Members of that group can be heard wondering about the whereabouts of Congressional lawmakers, who had been trying to certify the results of Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election when the riot broke out after a rally in which Trump encouraged his supporters to “fight like hell” against the process.
“Where the hell are they?” a man shouted when he saw the Senate floor deserted.
“Where the hell is Nancy?” it was another call.
As protesters dressed in combat clothing reached the Senate floor, a debate broke out about the acquisition’s perspective.
The fight revolved around an intruder taking a seat in the chair reserved for Senate President Pence – who was accused by Trump of not doing enough to fight the election results and was among those forced to evacuate when the uproar began.
“Hey, get out of that chair!” Larry Brock, a retired Texas Air Force lieutenant colonel in a tie-carrying zip, can be heard telling the unidentified man who occupies Pence’s seat.
“No, this is our chair!” a third man shouted back.
“It’s not our chair,” said Brock. “I love you, you are brothers, but we cannot be disrespectful.”
A rowdy challenged Brock even further, invoking a conspiracy theory that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Trump.
“They can steal an election, but can’t we sit in their seats?” the man asked.
“No, we will not tolerate that either!” insisted Brock. “Look, it’s a public relations war. … We are better than that. “
While the group was arguing, others searched the lawmakers’ tables, apparently looking for documents to support their claim that the election was rigged.
A handful of intruders found papers detailing what was identified as the results of Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz’s “objection to Arizona” election.
The discovery left some confused about exactly what the newspapers were supposed to show.
“Your objection! He was going to betray us all the time! ”Irritated a man.
“Wait, no, this is a good thing!” it sounded in another huddle around the document.
One of Trump’s most loyal supporters in Congress, Cruz was among those who questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s victory in Arizona, presenting an unsuccessful protest even in the hours after the turmoil.
Two others flipped through a folder, apparently also looking for evidence or incriminating material, the video shows.
“There must be something here that we can use against these bastards,” murmured a man, leafing through the pages at random.
“[Republican Missouri Sen. Josh] Hawley, Cruz. I think Cruz would like us to do that, ”intoned another man. “I think we’re fine.”
Above them, in the gallery, “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley – decorated with a horned helmet and red, white and blue face paint – sang unintelligibly, rhythmically stamping his feet and the flagpole of an American flag.
In a later segment, Chansley – also known as Jake Angeli – went down to the Senate floor, closely followed by a lone policeman, shows the video.
“You are f – king patriots,” said Angeli to the group. “Look at this guy. He’s covered in blood. God bless you.”
The man Angeli was referring to, sprawled on the floor with a small blood stain on his shirt, said he “was shot in the face by some kind of plastic bullet”, but declined the offer of medical help.
As Angeli went up to the dais and prepared to sit in Pence’s place, the policeman did his best to disperse the crowd.
“Is there any chance that I could get you out of the Senate wing?” he asked.
The bloody man on the floor replied, “We will. I have made sure that they do not disrespect the place. “
Angeli, however, decided to feel at home.
“I’m going to sit in this chair because Mike Pence is a traitor,” he said.
While the policeman watched, Angeli asked another hooligans to use his phone to take a picture of him sitting in Pence’s chair.
As soon as Angeli took his picture, the policeman made another attempt.
“Now that you’ve done this, can I get you out of this room, please?” he asked.
The group seemed to be agreeing, but not before Angeli scribbled a message on a sheet of paper in front of Pence’s seat: “It’s just a matter of time[,] Justice is Coming! “
In a later segment, however, Angeli and others were back on the dais, using a megaphone to shout a “prayer”.
“Thank you, Heavenly Father, for being the necessary inspiration for these policemen to allow us to enter the building, to allow us to exercise our rights, to allow us to send a message to all tyrants, communists and globalists,” said Angeli.
In the corridor outside the Senate chamber, the police were doing what they could to direct the protesters out of the building.
“We support you, okay?” a rioter can be heard by telling an officer. “We know you are doing your job.”
Back on Capitol Hill, however, it was a different scene when another contingent of protesters clashed with police officers trying to restore order.
“F – blue ko! F – blue ko! ”Some members of the crowd shouted, the video shows, in apparent reference to the police.
Five people died in the chaos, including a US Capitol Police officer sprayed with pepper spray and beaten with a fire extinguisher.
Dozens of people have been arrested and charged so far, although officials have said that number is expected to grow to hundreds.