The protesters forced the U.S. Capitol complex to lock down and nearby office buildings to evacuate.

The attack came while Congress voted to certify Joe Biden’s election as president. The certification vote was stopped and the Senate went into recess.

“House Chamber has been warned to be prepared to shelter in place due to breach of Capitol Rotunda. Surreal”, tweeted congressman Gerry Connolly, a Democrat of Virginia.

“We’ve been given gas masks on the House floor. Tear gas has been used in the Rotunda,” he added.

We’ve been given gas masks on the House floor. Tear gas has been used in the Rotunda.

— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) January 6, 2021

House Chamber has been warned to be prepared to shelter in place due to breach of Capitol Rotunda. Surreal.

— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) January 6, 2021

Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a curfew in the capital moments after the supporters of President Donald Trump forcefully stormed the U.S. Capitol Building.

The curfew takes effect at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and will extend until 6 a.m. on Thursday, according to a tweet from the mayor.

Today, I'm ordering a citywide curfew for the District of Columbia from 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6, until 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 7. pic.twitter.com/lp6Pt3DcYC

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 6, 2021

After the 2020 United States presidential election in which challenger Joe Biden prevailed, incumbent Donald Trump, as well as his presidential campaign and his proxies, pursued an aggressive, unprecedented effort to deny and overturn the results.

Trump and his allies falsely alleged that an international communist conspiracy, rigged voting machines, and polling place fraud had stolen the election from Trump.

These claims of election fraud were rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. (ILKHA)