BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation were ordered to shelter in place before being evacuated from Capitol Hill Wednesday, as the certification of the Presidential election was overwhelmed by supporters of President Trump.
Within hours of the "Stop The Steal" demonstration in Washington D.C., pro-Trump crowds had breached security at the Capitol building, smashing windows as they forced their way into congressional offices and onto the Senate floor.
The violence temporarily halted the Senate's official ratification of the state's electoral votes to certify Joe Biden as the next President-elect.
Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern was blunt, saying on Twitter "this is not a protest, this is a terrorist attack on our democracy."
Congressman Seth Moulton, a combat veteran, spoke to WBZ NewsRadio after being told to shelter in place Wednesday afternoon.
"These are anarchists, and this is an outright coup attempt happening right here in the United States of America," Rep. Moutlon said. "This is the kind of thing, the kind of assault on democracy, that I expected to see when I was a U.S. Marine in Iraq. It's not something I ever imagined seeing as a U.S. Congressman in America."
Congressman Stephen Lynch said he walked through the crowds, with the tear gas stinging his eyes, and went to his D.C. home to take shelter.
"I only live a block and a half away," Lynch said. "So I went thru through the crowds to my apartment, and they've all asked us to stay in place."
By around 5 p.m., riot police had started pushing crowds back from the steps of the Capitol building ahead of a 6 p.m. curfew enforced across the district in response to the violence.
WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal reports:
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Written by Brit Smith
(Photo: Getty Images)