The West Virginia lawmaker checks in to storm the Capitol. Thousands of people are calling for his resignation.

A West Virginia lawmaker who recorded and then deleted a video of himself storming the Capitol building with hundreds of rioters is facing increasing pressure to resign.

Nearly 32,000 people have signed a Change.org petition calling for Republican Del’s resignation. Derrick Evans.

“Remove him from his seat for leading and participating in terrorism and going against the constitution and the rule of law,” the petition reads.

Evans streamed a video live to his Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon of himself outside the Capitol building as rioters supporting President Donald Trump pushed against a police barricade.

“Bring the tear gas, we don’t care,” hears the lawmaker screaming. “We are taking this country back whether you like it or not. Today is a try. We are taking this country back.”

At another point, he heard people ask “where are the Proud Boys”, referring to the all-male, self-proclaimed far-right group of “Western chauvinists”.

As the rioters push the officers back, Evans says he didn’t touch anything and was just there to watch. Eventually, the group made their way inside the Capitol. Evans tells people not to vandalize before yelling “Patriots inside, baby”.

Evans has since deleted the video and defended his actions, saying in a statement on Facebook that he attended the protest as an “independent member of the media to film the story.”

“As many of you know, over the past few years I have traveled the country filming a lot of events,” he wrote. “Today I had the opportunity to film another event in Washington. I want to assure you all that I have not had any negative interactions with law enforcement and that I have not participated in any destruction that may have occurred. ”

A spokesperson for the West Virginia House of Delegates told The Associated Press that House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, a Republican, “will assess any potential consequences once the totality of the situation is understood.” .

“While free speech and peaceful protest are a core value of American society, storming government buildings and participating in a violent and intentional disruption of one of our country’s most fundamental political institutions is a crime that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, ”Hanshaw said in a statement.

Minority House Leader Doug Skaff Jr., a Democrat, said Evans ‘behavior was unacceptable and called on Hanshaw to suspend Evans’ access to the Statehouse and launch an investigation.

A ceremony was being held on Capitol Hill to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory when pro-Trump mobs stormed the building. He was abruptly interrupted and members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence had to seek refuge.

Four people died during the chaos, including a woman who was shot dead by police.