Chaos: Pro-Trump rioters make selves at home inside Capitol, sitting behind desks, making off with podiums
WASHINGTON - Supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, some walking into lawmakers’ offices, sitting behind desks and apparently making off with podiums and other items.
Stunning photos captured the chaos inside the nation’s Capitol: security officials with guns drawn on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, people fighting with police in the Capitol Rotunda, rioters smashing windows and streaming into the building where the nation's leaders had gathered to count votes sealing President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
FILE - A supporter of US President Donald Trump sits inside the office of US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as he protest inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - A supporter of US President Donald Trump leaves a note in the office of US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as he protest inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - A supporter of US President Donald Trump sits at a desk after invading the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest in the US Capitol Rotunda on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - A supporter of US President Donald Trump sits inside the office of US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as he protest inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - Protesters enter the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Congress held a joint session today to ratify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump. A group of Republican senato (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Trump supporters were even able to make it inside several elected officials’ offices, making themselves at home. One man was seen carrying off what appeared to be a podium as havoc was wreaked inside the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
RELATED: PHOTOS: Pro-Trump protesters storm Capitol in DC
As protesters continued to flood into the building, elected officials took cover and were even evacuated from the Senate chamber, calling on the president to call off the siege.
FILE - Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., comforts Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The president released a video calling on his supporters to "go home" but kept up false election attacks and called backers "very special."Reporters and anchors described scenes of bedlam and fear, questioning how security and the nation's leaders did not anticipate it.
RELATED: 1 shot as Trump supporters storm Capitol, breaking windows and violently clashing with police
Television networks had gathered to watch congressional debate over the election, but their cameras quickly turned to ominous scenes outside the building as a crowd that had listened to an angry speech by Trump marched to the building.
As demonstrators climbed steps and penetrated the Capitol, the situation quickly devolved.
"The mob has overtaken the process of trying to certify the electoral college," said FOX News Channel reporter Chad Pergram. "Security here at the U.S. Capitol has failed."
The Associated Press and Storyful contributed to this report.