Parts of the Capitol evacuated, protesters surround the evacuated building as Congress meets

WASHINGTON – Hundreds of protesters who have gathered in the nation’s capital to support President Donald Trump’s baseless allegations of electoral fraud descended on the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday afternoon as Congress gathered to affirm President-elect Joe’s victory Biden in the November election.

Protesters marched en masse to Capitol Hill after Trump, addressing a large crowd outside the White House, vowed he would never give in to Biden.

“We will never give up, we will never concede. You don’t concede in the event of theft,” Trump told a crowd of supporters, some of whom chanted “USA!” or waved anti-Biden banners. He later falsely claimed that Biden would be an “illegitimate” president.

Police at the United States Capitol Building said these were areas near the building as pro-Trump protesters attempted to storm barricades outside the perimeter and law enforcement officers. the order tried to push them back.

The Library of Congress, located directly across from the main Capitol building, was evacuated and people were urged to remain calm and move safely to exits.

Representative Elaine Luria, D-Va., Tweeted that she had to evacuate her congressional office because a homemade bomb was reported outside the Capitol. “The president’s supporters are trying to force their way into the Capitol and I hear what sounds like multiple shots,” Luria tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, a short walk from Capitol Hill, was evacuated earlier Wednesday due to a suspicious package, and an investigation is underway.

Trump’s baseless allegations of electoral fraud have been widely denied, and efforts by his legal team to challenge the election results in court have been dismissed by a succession of judges. Trump said Wednesday’s joint session of Congress represented a chance to quash the election, even though state voters have already certified the results and the event inside Capitol Hill is ceremonial.

Trump lobbied Vice President Mike Pence, who will preside over the ceremony, saying he could intervene in the count. In his long, degressive remarks, Trump called on Pence to “do the right thing,” even though Pence’s ceremonial role does not give him the power to intervene in the counting of the votes. Pence sent a letter to Congress ahead of the ceremony stating that he would not do what Trump hoped.

Jason Bjorklund, who flew to the nation’s capital from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said he didn’t know what to expect when Congress convened.

“I just felt compelled to be here because it seems like our republic is slipping away from us,” Bjorklund said. He added, without merit, that there were “mountains of fraud evidence” and detailed conspiracy theories regarding the Dominion’s voting machines.

When asked to report on the judges who rejected attempts by Trump’s legal team to challenge the election results, Bjorklund said: “I think we have corruption from top to bottom.”

Prior to the president’s speech, it appeared some senators were approached by Trump supporters near Capitol Hill, including a seemingly exasperated Senator Todd Young, R-Ind., Who said he would not vote against Biden’s claim of victory because he was required to follow the law.

“I took an oath under God, under God!” Young said. “Do we still take this seriously in this country?”

Theresa Reilly and her husband Bill came to the nation’s capital from Michigan – a key Midwestern state that fell into the Democratic column in November – to participate in Wednesday’s protests because they believe Biden’s triumph on Trump was fraudulent.

“We don’t believe they are being honest, real voters,” Theresa Reilly said as Celine Dion’s theme song from the movie “Titanic” played over a speaker system in the background. “There is a lot of cheating going on, and I think everyone knows that, including Democrats.”

Bill Reilly said that even without “doing too much research” it was clear that “something is happening” with the November election results

“The only thing I can say is that no matter how many people there are, it’s not going to go away,” he said. “If you thought 2020 was weird, 2021 will be ‘hold back my beer’, if you ask me.”

Allan Smith and Ginger Gibson reported from Washington and Daniel Arkin from New York.