Each of us acted on our own. We have to have peace. As the speech ends, crowds start to drift towards the Congress building, about a mile and a half away, where they are met by police barriers. 2:24 p.m. Trump tweets criticism of Vice President Pence: "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. "We follow the crowd as it goes up to the Hill, toward the Capitol. We sat in a roomthe top leaders of the House and the Senate togetherand we watched CNN. All Rights Reserved. House Sergeant at Arms Irving said on Feb. 23 that he has no record or recollection of this call. As he called for, crowds began marching toward the Capitol. Participate in hands-on learning activities in the Democracy Lab (Reservations required for groups of 15 or more children). The situation is clear. Horowitz said his review will coordinate with IG reviews in the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Interior. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000. Tom Daschle, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate: Yet with that soft September light was chaos all around. Visual timeline: How Jan. 6, 2021 unraveled inside and outside the One of our colleagues was on flag duty that morning, and she had her cart full of flags. Security officials guard the entrance, guns drawn. This day starts like any other, and next thing you know, hes got all these government officials descending on him in these Huey helicopters. Artifacts reflecting the violence, chaos and confusion at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, 2021, have been added to the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in a continuing effort to document the attack on that day and its larger impact on American democracy.The museum followed its rapid-response protocol Jan. 7, 2021, to collect ephemeral materials such as rally . 1:51 p.m. Sund requests assistance from law enforcement agencies from the National Capital Region. Staffers, representatives, and senators quickly realized that what appeared to start as a tragic accident in New York was spreading into their own backyardand that they themselves might be a target underneath the dome of the U.S. Capitol. 3:29 p.m. Virginia Gov. January 6 U.S. Capitol attack, storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by a mob of supporters of Republican Pres. On Capitol Hill, morning meetings were interrupted by an alert that an emergency situation was unfolding in New York Citysketchy initial reports grew worse almost by the minute as the mornings news unfolded from 8:46 a.m., when the first airliner in New York struck the North Tower. Police and other law enforcement. When that happened, I and everyone around me stopped, winced, and paused for about two or three seconds. The Metropolitan Police Department has jurisdiction on city streets; the U.S. Park Police on the Ellipse, where Trump's rally took place; the U.S. Secret Service in the vicinity of the White House; and the U.S. Capitol Police on the Capitol complex. For those on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., recalling the attacks carries a special poignancyas congressional leaders, members, and staff today wonder whether their lives were saved by the. Latrobe returned to Washington in 1815, when he was rehired to restore the U.S. Capitol Building. Larry Hogan says, "I never thought I'd see a day like this in America. An NPR review of federal charges against people involved in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot shows they were armed with a wide variety of weapons, contradicting a false claim that rioters were not armed. About 12:45 p.m. A pipe bomb is found outside Republican National Committee headquarters, according to Feb. 23 testimony from MPD Chief Contee. Police officers struggle to maintain control of the situation as protesters advance on the building on multiple fronts. Eve Butler-Gee, chief journal clerk, U.S. House of Representatives: Cobalt blue. What and where is the Library of Congress? Things to Do This Weekend in Washington, DC, Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, Visiting the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, learn more about the Library of Congress buildings, 901 7th Street NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20001-3719, 2023 Washington.org. That's important because these reports go beyond raw intelligence they validate information and put it into context that would help local law enforcement develop a plan. Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin and the FBI begin to announce a series of arrests and a variety of federal criminal charges against people involved in the Capitol attack. 2:30 p.m. Acting Defense Secretary Miller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and Army Secretary McCarthy meet to discuss the requests from Capitol Police Chief Sund and Mayor Bowser. . Exploring the Early Americas chronicles Native American culture and their conflict with Europeans. The Justice Department says MPD acted on its intelligence to arrest the Proud Boys' Tarrio before the protest, and federal officials interrupted travel of others who planned to go to D.C. Sherwin says the numbers of arrests will "geometrically increase.". You're very special. What does a deadly day mean for Trump's legacy? These threat assessments or intelligence bulletins are typically written as a matter of course ahead of high-profile events. I just remember us all being kind of stunned and trying to figure out what to do. There are also a number of special tours and activities offered beyond the general tour of the Capitol Building. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu. . The New York Police Department sends a packet of material to the U.S. Capitol Police and the Washington Field Office of the FBI. He chairs the House subcommittee investigating police response to the riot and says 10 to 15 other Capitol Police officers are under investigation. Access Information. In the end, police from nearby jurisdictions and National Guard members from six states are called in. President Trump addresses his supporters at The Ellipse on Jan. 6, saying, "This election was stolen from you, from me, from the country." Igor Bobic, a journalist for the Huffington Post, captures a group of men forcing a police officer to retreat up a set of stairs as they continue their advance. All the Library of Congress buildings can be entered free of charge. After growing condemnation of the riots, President Trump eventually calls for calm, telling the protesters to leave peacefully: "Go home. Capitol Insurrection Updates : NPR This floor also contains three major public areas. 5:02 p.m. One hundred fifty-four members of the D.C. National Guard depart the D.C. Armory. Tear gas and pepper spray are used to try to keep the protesters at bay. The secretary of the Army announces that as many as 20,000 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed to D.C. for the inauguration. The public can follow the museum on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. All the Library of Congress' buildings can be entered free of charge. Everybody was very calm, but stunned, and in disbelief. 2:31 p.m. Bowser orders a citywide curfew beginning at 6 p.m. 2:44 p.m. From inside the House chamber come reports of an armed standoff at the door to the chamber. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman redirects them to another hall where there are additional officers. Barthell Coal Mining Camp. PDF My Capitol Building beyond expectations. It was really quite a sight and quite emotional. A strong earthquake of 6.3 magnitude struck the Colombian capital Bogota on Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, prompting frightened residents to flee into the street and leading a . Over the course of the day, other staff and personnel also flowed out to Mount Weather, in Berryville, Virginia, 80 minutes west of Washington, and to Raven Rock, the backup Pentagon built in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, near Camp David. Here is a timeline of events before, during and after the insurrection at the Capitol. He falsely claims that "this election was stolen from you, from me, from the country.". The fourth floor and the basement/terrace level of the U.S. Capitol are occupied by offices, machinery rooms, workshops and other support areas. Had it not been for those people, it could have been much, much worse. Three other protesters die in the riot from medical emergencies. Laura Petrou: It was very spartan. The word surreal is used a lot, but thats what it was. 6:01 p.m. Trump tweets a message to his supporters. Brian Gunderson: There were obviously preparations for us to stay for a long while if we had to. American flags fly at half mast on the grounds of the Washington Monument in memory of the victims of the terror attacks in New York City and at the Pentagon September 17, 2001 in Washington, DC. Washington, DC 20510 Steve Elmendorf, chief of staff, Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO): It was very surreal to fly in in helicopters, see the smoke coming out of the Pentagon, land on the Capitol grounds with a heightened level of security. I had two phones on my deska secure phone to the White House and this regular old red phone that I took all my calls on. The grounds immediately surrounding the U.S. Capitol are bordered by a stone wall and cover an area of 58.8 acres. The Majority Leader is not. Here's a breakdown of how events . Ultimately, we decided to disperse. It was military police that made the inquiry. History of the U.S. Capitol Building | Architect of the Capitol Piatt disputes this. At one point, rioters get near the Senate chamber, but a Capitol Police officer lures them away. I turned on the television and watched the news. The first, or ground, floor is occupied chiefly by committee rooms and the spaces allocated to various congressional officers. Laura Petrou: Theres a web of people within the government who take over. But what documentation exists today shows that many of Washington, D.C.'s most iconic government buildings, including the White House, were built by enslaved people. Lawmakers were forced to take shelter, the building was put into lockdown and four people died in the chaos that followed a pro-Trump rally near the White House. Nearly every American above a certain age remembers precisely where they were on September 11, 2001. This raw intelligence bits and pieces of information scraped from various social media sites indicates that there will likely be violence when lawmakers certify the presidential election results on Jan. 6. We were told we needed to be prepared to take cover. Smithsonian Continues Collecting Artifacts From Jan. 6 Capitol Attack It is crowned by a magnificent whitedomethat overlooks the city of Washington and has become a widely recognized icon of the American people and government. The days attacks activated a secret system, known as continuity of government, aimed at preserving the leadership of the United States, a system never before used. This was the first time that the Capitol had been breached on a large scale since the War of 1812 when British troops attacked the city. The medal is one of the recent additions to the political history collection along with a numbered copy of the Tally Sheet on the 2020 presidential election from Jan. 6. A Most Magnificent Ruin: The Burning of the Capitol during the War of 1812, Christmas in July in Wonderful West Virginia, 2023 Military Bands Capitol Summer Concert Series. Follow the path the British took in 1814 to burn the U.S. Capitol and learn more about damage done to this historic building. He was agitated, asking, Why are we all here? Previously acquired was the black protective vest worn by freelance photographer Madeleine Kelly, which was slashed by a knife-wielding rioter, and her damaged media credentials. But it already is clear that Jan. 6, 2021, will go down as one . US Capitol riots: What happened and who has been punished? Danielle Rindler. Another protester is photographed nearby sitting in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, with his foot on the table. hide caption. USA demands the truth!". Simply exit the station using the main exit and walk two blocks north on First Street SE. I remember thinking, This country will be okay. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images But he didnt have any particular place to go. We need to get back. Cheney was clearly annoyed by this, and his voice came out of the speakerphone in the middle of the table and said, Don, we control the helicopters. Enter behind the Statue of Freedom on the lower level. hide caption. Drew Angerer/Getty Images As he called for, crowds began marching toward the Capitol. Non-English translations are not official government translations. So do Michael Stenger, the Senate sergeant-at-arms, and Paul Irving, sergeant-at-arms for the House of Representatives. Later that day: Sund resigns. Everybody was numb: Oh my God, whats going on? Over 1,700 officers from 18 law enforcement agencies respond. Here's what happened outside the White House last June as crowds protested the death of George Floyd, and on Jan. 6, when Trump supporters mobbed the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, says two Capitol Police officers have been suspended. It was decided that we were going to have a press conference on the Capitol steps to show the American people that we were not going to let the terrorists win. It looked like thousands of them, all coming straight at me. Fire trucks below, jets above, tanks and all kinds of securityjust an amazing transformation of what started as one of the most tranquil and beautiful days of the year that morning. You've seen what happens. [S]tay away from exterior windows and doors. Eventually the decision was made that yes, its time. Father Gerry Creedon, guest chaplain, House of Representatives: The House chaplain, Reverend Dan Coughlin, advised me that I would do the opening invocation, and then Congress would be dismissed. Guardsmen are moved from traffic points and Metro stations to the D.C. Armory and refitted for a crowd control mission. Updated at 5:05 p.m. At one point, rioters get near the Senate chamber, but a Capitol Police officer lures them away. The U.S. Capitol Riots and the Double Standard of Protest Policing Within hours, the congressional leadership had been whisked to a mountain bunker originally built for the Cold War. In June, police officers clashed with peaceful protesters and fired tear gas near the White House during demonstrations over George Floyd's death. "But as far as protection, all we really saw were some mesh barriers, some metal fencing and only a small contingent of Capitol Police. Then Mr. Gephardt, his security detail took him and disappeared. The attack disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify the results of the presidential election of 2020, which Trump had lost to his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden. The third floor allows access to the galleries from which visitors to the U.S. Capitol may watch the proceedings of the House and the Senate when Congress is in session. Acting DHS Secretary Peter Gaynor issues a memorandum expanding the designation of the 59th Presidential Inauguration as a national special security event from a period beginning Jan. 13 and lasting through Jan. 21. Dennis Hastert: Daschle came up and spoke for a couple 20 seconds or so. January 6 United States Capitol attack - Wikipedia Brian Gunderson, chief of staff, Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-Texas): We went on with the staff meeting. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ): I was walking past the Supreme Court. The Capitol Police officers are quickly overwhelmed. Winston Pingeon presented three watercolors depicting the Capitol in symbolic flames, officers in riot gear outside the Capitol and one with the iconic buildings dome framed within a gallows and noose. Whitley City. Dennis Hastert, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives: I was trying to contact the vice president to see what he thought we should do. Went through the floor schedule that week, went through other items, and after a few minutes our press secretary, whod been in the other room briefing Congressman Armey, came in and said that another plane had hit the second World Trade Center tower and that it was dearly an act of terrorism. "MPD responded to the scenes for the pipe bombs to assist the Capitol Police," Contee said. hide caption. U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Beautiful Virginia sunset, beautiful day, and seeing the flames still leaping up from the Pentagon. Police place US Capitol Building on lockdown after Trump supporters breached security lines. ET, the congressional leadership hidden at Mount Weather began to make their way back to the capital as well. Brian Gaston, policy director, Majority Leader Richard Armey: The meeting broke up right then and there. Then everyone started to run. Protesters outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Part of the National Statuary Hall Collection in the National Statuary Hall, 2016. Capitol riots: A visual guide to the storming of Congress Now, what you have to understand is, the best plan we had at the time was a fire evacuationthat was it. We have these big mail carts full of flags. Convinced the election was stolen, thousands of Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 as Congress counts and certifies the Electoral College vote. The U.S. Capitolis among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. Brian Gunderson: They made some snacks availableI remember that there were a few bags of Cheetos or Doritos, and a few sodas that had been cracked openand we all sat around and looked at the TV screen, and watched the tape of the towers coming down. Our most immediate concern was to try to connect with our families. United States Capitol - Wikipedia Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images You could walk in to talk to your representative, without having your bag searched. The rest of this floor is occupied by offices, committee rooms and press galleries. Rioter Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran from the San Diego area, is fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer. President Trump is impeached by the House of Representatives for inciting an insurrection. I said, Whoa, wait a minute. Last year, on a sunny June afternoon in Washington, D.C., a phalanx of police officers in riot gear lobbed stun grenades into demonstrators gathered near the White House to condemn police use of. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston, Cheryl Corley, Greg Myre, Tom Bowman, Martin Kaste and Domenico Montanaro contributed to this report. 12:58 p.m. Chief Sund asked for MPD's assistance to address the growing violent mob at the Capitol. NPR later reported that the military police asked the National Guard if it had a "heat ray" weapon the police could deploy. To view this content choose accept and continue. Somebody started to sing. Take cover? We tend to make jokes when were nervous, and we looked at this little reflecting pool that was part of the decoration of the Mall. By 7:15 p.m. "[B]oth chambers and leadership offices were cleared, and members were able to return to business, and we began the planning for the following day," Army Secretary McCarthy later says. One of the suspended officers took a selfie with a rioter. Photo HistoryAn acquisition of 19 black-and-white gelatin silver photographs by photojournalist Louie Palu includes images from inside the Capitol that capture events in the building and on the grounds. Rep. Porter Goss: There wasnt any plan. We host engaging public events and trade shows annually, bringing millions of attendees to our facility. DIRECTIONS. Dennis Hastert, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives: I was heading out to Andrews Air Force Base. But the DHS and the FBI do not create an intelligence report focused specifically on the upcoming pro-Trump rally. We have 4 primary entrance gates around the property connected to interstates and neighboring roads. After having a discussion with the vice president, he said, Youre going to an undisclosed location. Next thing, I was in a helicopter, flying over the south side of Washington. The heavy-handed approach by federal law enforcement agencies influenced the city's preparations for Jan. 6. Eve Butler-Gee: I cried. Visit the U.S. Capitol | U.S. Capitol - Visitor Center To this day, no one knows where Flight 93 might have struck. Brian Gunderson, chief of staff, Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-Texas): As we walked into our morning staff meeting, I could see on the TV screenlike any congressional office, there were a lot of TV screens aroundthat a plane had struck one of the World Trade Center towers. You could literally see the smoke billowing up. That there was some confidence that there werent going to be follow-on attacks, at least not immediately, and so that it was safe to go back. I could bring one staff person, Laura Petrou. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. Celine Haga, staffer, U.S. House of Representatives: In the hours and days and weeks later when it was replayed on TV, it felt trite and corny but in that moment, that night, it felt like we were clinging to something, like a lifeline. U.S. Capitol Building | Architect of the Capitol Ben Brasch. Hogan gives orders to mobilize 200 Maryland State Police troopers and 500 National Guard troops. Trump calls on his supporters at the rally to march on the U.S. Capitol, saying he will walk with them.