this is bbc world news, the headlines violence and chaos in the heart of washington dc, as president trump's supporters storm the us capitol building. police say a woman is in a critical condition after being shot in the chest. and i cannot ican i can confirm that someone sustained a gunshot wound inside. as senior republicans and democrats called for an immediate end to the protests, president trump finally appeared and called for peace. this was a fraudulent election. but

we cannot play into the hands of these people. we have to have peace. so, go home. inside, while us lawmakers took cover, they stormed the senate chamber and forced an armed standoff, prompting this response from the president—elect. iam i am genuinely shocked and saddened that our nation. so long the beginning of life and hope for democracy has come to such a dark moment. —— beacon of light. the shocking scenes drew widespread condemnation from around the world, including from the united nations, nato, canada, germany and the uk hello and welcome to bbc world news. events in washington have taken a violent and tumultuous turn

in the past few hours, as thousands of supporters of president trump stormed the us capitol building, venting their anger at the victory ofjoe biden in the presidential election. they forced the evacuation and lockdown of congress, where lawmakers were set to approve the election result. shortly before the clashes, president trump had addressed his supporters near the white house, telling them that he would never accept defeat. within the past hour, president—elect biden called on mr trump to tell his people to go home, and within minutes, this is the scene live in washington now —— where the city mayor has ordered a curfew —— to come into effect shortly. the standoff still ongoing as the supporters of president trump

continued to preach this is on the day that lawmakers admit to confirm joe biden. we will continue to monitor the situation in life there but first of all, let's get a full round up of the days events from our north american editor. the peaceful transfer of power, the cornerstone of american democracy seemed highly abstract concept today. as donald trump support is clashed with police, as they tried and succeeded to storm the congress for america's elected leaders had gathered to certify the election victory ofjoe biden. earlier, and a rally outside the white house, donald trump encouraged his loyal base to fight to overturn the result of this bitterly contested election. we are going to walk down to the capital and we are going to cheer on

oui’ capital and we are going to cheer on our brave capital and we are going to cheer on oui’ brave senators capital and we are going to cheer on our brave senators and capital and we are going to cheer on oui’ brave senators and congressmen our brave senators and congressmen and women and we will probably not be cheering so much for some of them. because you will never take back our country with weakness. you have to show strength and you have to be strong. many of his supporters needed little encouragement to join the fight. we are here to support, if violence happens like it happens, we are not going to start it, we're just here to defend ourselves. yeah. lama just here to defend ourselves. yeah. i am a mexican immigrant, freedom is paid for with blood interior and he always masquerades as safety and security and that is what we are fighting against right now. outside of the capital of the ring of security had been breached, the crux of taking donald trump at his word and they were taking the fight to the heart of american democracy. they were literally begging on the doors of congress. and then, some

donald trump supporters managed to get inside. they were armed and wandering the capital building. there were tense and violent scenes of police who had never dealt with anything like this. these pictures appear to show one protester being shot inside the capital building. a stretcher was sent in, she was later given cpr. a protester breached the inner sanctum of the chamber. the vice president had to be removed to safety by his secret service detail and then the joint session was adjourned. earlier, the republican senate leaderfor so long adjourned. earlier, the republican senate leader for so long a lawyer left and it turned on him for this withering assessment. of the sort overturned by allegations from the losing side, our democracy would entera losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral. we would never

see the nation except in election again. every four years would be a scramble for power. at any cost. and the vice president who was officiating this joint session as shown donald trump near slavish loyalty also said it was not his role to overturn the verdict of the people. and the president has gone on television to want that democracy is under unprecedented assault and has made this appeal. i: president trump to go on national television now to fulfil his oath and defend the constitution and demand an end to

the siege. to storm the capital, to smash windows, to occupy offices, the flow of the united states senate rummaging through desks on the capital, on the house of representatives, threatening the safety of duly elected officials is not protest. it is insurrection. donald trump is spoken in toward his supporters to stand down but condemnation? there was none. this was a fraudulent election, but we cannot play into the hands of these people. we need to have peace. so, go home, we love you, you're very special,. the chamber was empty, democracy put on hold and outside their scaling the ramparts, the mob for the moment in charge, believing they have the right to overthrow the will of the people. tonight, the shining city on the hill as america

likes to describe itself, feels as though the light of democracy is flickering dangerously. taking a back life to the scene in washington. this is the image their life. we are taking reports that the us capitol building is now secure. a little earlier, would say police being deployed at the us capitol and they are in theory driving protesters away from the building thatis protesters away from the building that is according to, as we understand it, us officials are now saying that the us capitol building is now secure. this is a fluid situation and will continue to monitor it for you, but that is the very latest reports that we are getting following this three to four hours situation that was taking place there and violent supporters of president trump breached the

capitol in washington and dramatic scenes we saw unfolding in demonstrators swarming the building as congress members had to be escorted out by police. as we see now, us officials are saying that the capital building is now secure and police have been driving protesters away from the building. more updates when we get them. the life seen there. the mayor of washington dc called a news conference to explain the steps she was taking to restore order to the city. her chief of police explained how the protests had got out of hand. is you are all aware. demonstrators can tour the city to exercise their first amendment rights and were largely concentrated in the area of the national mall. following the presidents remarks, a large crowd again to march east bound and constitution avenue northwest. as the demonstrators approach the united states capitol grounds there was noticeable change in their demeanour. they preach the fencing along the us capitol grounds and

confront the police line surrounding the building. it was requested by the building. it was requested by the united states capitol police to provide assistance with credit management and to to the violence in their intent on gaining access to their intent on gaining access to the capital. a riot was declared. it was clear that there were intent on causing harm to our officers by deploying chemical irritants on police, to force entry into the united states capitol building. as you are aware, they were able to gain access to the capital building andi gain access to the capital building and i can confirm that one civilian sustained a gunshot wound inside of the capital. giving us an update on the capital. giving us an update on the situation and a curfew to be enforced in washington, dc and around 20 minutes' time. we will monitor that for you as well. let us speak life.

live to janet napolitano is the president of the university of california. she was also the secretary of homeland security under president 0bama, and the former governor of arizona. she joins us live from oakland, california. your reaction to the dramatic scenes that we have been seeing in the capital. it was a dark day for american democracy. i speak for many when i say that i do not think we could've imagined this kind of attack. from people, from our own country, from our own government and our congress assembled to perform its constitutional duty to certify the election results. and i am glad that the police are getting control of the situation. that they have cleared the capital so that the business of the people can be conducted by our elected representatives. your reflections on the words of the president where he

says that he feels the protesters pain, he urges them to go home and he says he loves them and supports them. he kind it is through gas on them. he kind it is through gas on the fire. he did not acknowledge that he lost the election. he did not acknowledge that the election wasn't stolen, that there was widespread fraud, those allegations have been raised in dozens and dozens have been raised in dozens and d oze ns of have been raised in dozens and dozens of court cases since november three. all have been rejected for lack of any evidence whatsoever. he did not tell the protesters not only to immediately disperse, but in a way that their protest was unfounded and that it is now time to prepare for the peaceful transition of power. within your capacity of

power. within your capacity of power. how do you think such a situation could have happened and what is your understanding of what these protesters were? well, i think these protesters were? well, i think the protesters were an amalgam of disaffected right wing trumped followers from around the united states who were called by him to assemble to the nations capital today. and in a way, he incited them today. and in a way, he incited them to be there. and there can be some after action analysis as to how it happened, this mob was able to breach the capital, to get inside, to enact the kind of damage that they did. but i will share with you that there does seem to be a lack of

adequate planning for the kinds of protests that were reasonably foreseeable. there were moments where suddenly this waiver protesters moved into the building itself and it did feel as though it was just a force of these people that were entering relatively unopposed. i think there's going to be some questions raised in the law enforcement presence in terms of planning whether there were adequate officers there and available, obviously now there are. they have assembled some substantial numbers of not only police officers but officers from the national guard and the question was why were they not there to begin with. but remember, this was an event that we haven't seen before in america. we haven't

seen before in america. we haven't seen a president who has resisted conceding an electoral loss and we have not seen a mob with the intent of taking over the nations capital like this one did for a while. so, i think from a law enforcement perspective, a security perspective, they're going to have to go back and rewrite the plans that they have. understanding now that the capital building is secure, this is going to be the scene of the inauguration of president—electjoe biden. how does this impact affect the whole of democracy? how do you feel that this will infringe or taint democracy in the united states? i think you're sure that our democracy is resilient because i think the peoples business, the counting of the electoral votes as certified by each of the 50 states will be conducted

and what i