hello, and welcome. i'm laura trevelyan. it's been a day of extraordinary scenes on capitol hill here in washington, where hundreds of trump supporters have stormed congress as a joint session was taking place to endorse the results of the presidential election in november. those are live pictures now from the scene at capitol hill where the national guard has been deployed. a woman who was shot inside the building has died — the circumstances are unclear. in a separate development, twitter has now locked donald trump's twitter account for the next 12 hours — that's a first. and in less than 30 minutes‘ time, lawmakers will resume their count of the electoral college votes. that's the scene on capital

hill, extremely tense there. our washington correspondent, lebo diseko, is inside capital building. she gave this update to my colleage katty kay a short time ago. we are hearing, as you have, that the members of the house of representatives and of the senate do want to continue tonight. we have this tweet from james clyburn, the house majority whip for the democrats in the house of representatives, saying, "i have faced violent hatred before. i was not to turn to then, i will not be determined now." putting that into context —he now." putting that into context — he met his wife after being arrested at a civil rights march, and he was in prison. so i think that reallyjust goes to show how people here are seeing this. i've been talking to some of the people i was locked down with, people that work here, and we've been watching all this play out on the tv. and they were just telling me how painful this is for them, actually, because

what they say is they are seeing the democratic process just be completely disrespected, and the democratic institutions of this country. i want to hear everything you're saying, it's super interesting and i want to get the atmosphere there. can you move your mic closer to your mouth? there's a lot of background noise and we aren't hearing you as well as i would like to. maybe you could pick up like to. maybe you could pick upa like to. maybe you could pick up a little microphone a little bit more. is there a sense between republicans and democrats that they were both in this together? and perhaps some of the steam has been taken out of the bitterness of the last few days? well, i'm not sure. i'll try and project my voice a bit more because the microphone i'm using is not the microphone i'm using is not the mic that you see here. but i really don't know. what i do know is that they went from a sense of shock to just utter stunned in us, really, at what

was happening. we do know that suddenly the republican leader in the senate, mitch mcconnell, had told his senators not to do this, he packed them not to do this. similarly, iwould imagine, as you would imagine, that the democrats have opposed this kind of action — when i say not to do this, i mean not to ta ke say not to do this, i mean not to take the opposition that they were planning to. he urged for calm. so i don't know how —— i haven't managed to speak any members, but i would imagine that they are feeling really quite a sense of shock of what's been happening. really quite a sense of shock of what's been happeninglj really quite a sense of shock of what's been happening. i can see staffers walking past you, members of the capitol hill security and press walking past you. has the atmosphere here now return to normal, or people talking about what's been happening outside the buildings? well, people are definitely aware of what's happening outside the building, but i asked a policeman not

long ago, "you know how long it'll be before we can leave?" he said they had no idea, we are still under lockdown. there was a frightening moment a few moments ago where we heard on a ten way that dc is about to go into curfew. so you will be arrested if you've not left the building, but we can't leave the building. so people are trying to take it within their stride, but it is a bit tense at the moment. just as that cu rfew at the moment. just as that curfew here in washington was about to happen. peter bowes is our north america correspondent. peter, after all the turmoil in tragedy here in washington today, a woman has been killed although the circumstances are unclear, and half an hour's time, lawmakers will resume this process of certifying the election. what signal isn't sending to the world? —— is that sending? it certainly sends a signal of determination

by those members of congress that they want to complete this process , that they want to complete this process, they've indicated to com plete process, they've indicated to complete this process of certification of the election result by the end of the day. of course the open question now is, will they essentially returned to where they were a few hours ago, with a number of republicans objecting — specifically they were focusing on three states. and that was a process they were entitled to follow, and it would've taken some considerable time, there would've been some debate. that debate had already started. i know there is some pressure on them from other republicans who don't believe there should be any objection, but will they withdraw those objections and allow the process to move very quickly and complete the process by the end of the day? clearly with the backdrop and terrible events of the last few hours, that is certainly preying on the minds of many in washington, but across the country as well. i think that's why this process is being so

closely watched. peter, we are just seeing now a statement from president bill clinton, and he says, "this assault was filled by dutch fuelled by more than four years of sewing distrust in our system. the match was lit by donald trump and his most ardent enablers." how does it look to you there in los angeles, what has the reaction been to what's been unfolding here? i think your reaction here in los angeles and across much of the country has been the same — one of shock, an element of disbelief that this is happening today in the united states. again, there's the backdrop of not only what happened since the election, but the last few yea rs election, but the last few years as that statement by former president bill clinton implies. and i think that is uppermost in people's mines, as well, that this is still, despite the election apparently resolving the future of the presidency for the next four

yea rs, presidency for the next four years, it is still a deeply divided country, a polarised nation. in that sense of almost wa rfa re nation. in that sense of almost warfare between the two sides simply hasn't gone away, and perhaps has even gotten worse over the last 3—4 weeks. i think that's certainly might sense here, that's what has made people nervous about the next couple of weeks while donald trump remains in office. but nervous about the weeks and months ahead as mr biden takes over. peter, you are close there to the land of silicon valley, and twitter has taken the unprecedented step of locking trump is ‘s twitter account for 12 hours. what kind of pressure do you think they felt to do that? i think they have felt considerable pressure. facebook is doing the same as well as it applies to the video that trump produced a few hours ago. both organisations reflecting a feeling that the content of

that video and the tweets that trump sent out would simply do more to promote more violence thanit more to promote more violence than it would to quell the likelihood of violence. and thatis likelihood of violence. and that is because mr trump is once again tweeting his unfounded claims of election fraud, his claim that the election was stolen from him. and i think it is certainly a sense in silicon valley, where these companies are based, as far as they see it, they want to do everything in their power to do everything in their power to prevent any further violence on the streets of washington. so they have taken this really unprecedented step, but also with the step of banning the president permanently if he doesn't have and it seems some of those tweets have already been removed, but the threat is if the president contends use with this language in his tweets, he will face the prospect of being removed from the platform permanently. peter, thanks so much for being with us. we can now speak to republican

congressman michael mccaul. hejoins me now. thanks for being with us. tell us thanks for being with us. tell usa thanks for being with us. tell us a reaction to what's unfolded today? well, it was very shocking. i drove into the capitol complex this morning, and we saw the protesters outside. i was a little worried that something like this could happen, buti that something like this could happen, but i really didn't envision a complete takeover of the united states capital. there was an invasion and assault on one of our greatest institutions, a symbol of democracy. we like to think we are a beacon of hope for the world, and i think today was very damaging for the united states of america to have our capital taken over by these mobsters. sol capital taken over by these mobsters. so i barricaded in my office, the protesters were outside. we were worried they

would break down the door. there were two bombs that capitol police were able to detonate without anybody being killed there, but we also had gunshots at the capital when they tried to invade the house chamber, and a woman was killed. they overtook the senate floor, sat in the president's and its chair, invaded speaker pelosi's office — just extraordinarily shocking day today on capitol hill. it certainly was, and mr trump had tweeted that today would be wild, he did address his supporters earlier and urged them to march on congress. could this perhaps have been avoided if he had taken a different tone with his most ardent supporters? laura, what i see is the real problem — yes, they were invited to come to washington, but they had the

expectation that congress was going to overturn the election. that's not our role in our constitution. congress accepts the electors from the state, but we can't second—guess or overturn the states's certifications. so there's an expectation that the election was going to be overturned, and it was a false premise. and when the mob got wind from the vice president's statement that that was not going to happen, that's when the violence erupted. that's when they started to break the doors and windows, and invade the capital. and i do blame, you know, public leaders for putting this false expectation out there. we aren't here to overturn the state certifications, we simply count the votes than certify them. and i think the way this has been handled has been a political charade that has incited violence. in about 20

minutes' time, you and your collea g u es minutes' time, you and your colleagues will resume that process of certifying the election results. do you expect your republican colleagues who we re your republican colleagues who were going to raise objections to now drop them? i do. i think mcconnell, after what happened, and the events that transpired today, mcconnell has a tight grip on the senators. so as long as we don't have a senator stand up like we had this morning, then there are no more objections. sol morning, then there are no more objections. so i think we are going to have one vote on arizona and certification of the electoral college stud it is my sincere hope, laura — we have always prided ourselves in oui’ have always prided ourselves in our country with a democracy and the peaceful transfer of power, not a coup or a mob violence. it's always a peaceful transfer of power on 20 january. so it's my hope that we can move forward and move on without this violence,

and go into this inauguration and go into this inauguration and not have that. we are seeing resignations from the white house tonight. the first lady's chief of staff, stephanie christian, says, "his has been an honour to serve the country." but she is reportedly resigning due to what happened. how do you see the white house panning out over the next two weeks? he's going through different stages of an —— denial and may come to acceptance. i know it is difficult place to work right now, and i think the president is looking for any way to delegitimize this election. but you'll probably see tonight that we will certify the electoral college, then we begin the peaceful transition of power and the inauguration of power and the inauguration ofa of power and the inauguration of a new president on 20 january. white met you said yourself how tense and

difficult it was, and how scary it was for you inside the building. iwas it was for you inside the building. i was outside seeing the police everywhere, and president bill clinton has put out a statement tonight, saying, "this assault on our capital in our constitution and oui’ capital in our constitution and our company to make her country was fuelled by more than four yea rs of was fuelled by more than four years of boards in politics, and the match was lit by donald trump and his most ardent enablers." what you make of that statement? i wish you would've spent the last month or so would've spent the last month or so talking about his accomplishments, getting operation work speed a vaccine for covid—19. i wish he talked more about his rebuilding the military, talking about his tough position on trade with china and the tax cuts that got oui’ china and the tax cuts that got our economy china and the tax cuts that got our economy going. but instead, he's been off in this conspiracy land obsessed with these allegations of fraud. and

there was some fraud, but that's for the courts to decide, not the congress. and they brought 60 lawsuits, all of them have been rejected by oui’ of them have been rejected by our judicial of them have been rejected by ourjudicial system. i of them have been rejected by our judicial system. i think of them have been rejected by ourjudicial system. i think it would've been a classier way to depart than what he's doing right now. do you think there will be a split now in the republican party between the ardent trump supporters and those who want to move on?” worry. i think the one thing that donald trump was able to do successfully was get the reagan democrats, the working blue collar workers back into the republican party that ronald reagan did. sol the republican party that ronald reagan did. so i hope we don't see that kind of fracture, but i think today at his rally, he said that this is no longer the republican party, it's the trump republican party. so i hope that doesn't happen, i hope we can unify.

and how significant do you think it was today, congressman, when the senate majority leader mitch mcconnell said it was important for eve ryo ne said it was important for everyone to accept the truth of the selection was back and also vice president mike pence did the same thing, they both split with the president and a very public way, didn't they? they did, andl public way, didn't they? they did, and i thought they were the adults in the room, they we re the adults in the room, they were telling the truth to the american people. i thought senator mcconnell gave an excellent speech on the floor about the role of congress, that we are not —— it is not congress's role to overturn state wide election certifications, and that there was very little evidence of fraud, and i think the vice president to the right thing by stating by law what his duties are. i know the president tweeted out something about his vice president, and i know that that's what caught the mob outside the capital all ginned

up. congressman, thank you so much forjoining us. now, thanks, laura, iappreciate it. thank you. in about 15 minutes' time, he will take part in that certification of the electoral couege certification of the electoral college votes, the process that was interrupted when those protesters stormed the capital building. the us president—elect joe biden called the siege an unprecented assault on us democracy and said it bordered on sedition. he also called on what he called the mob to pull back and allow the work of democracy to go forward. the words of a president matter. no matter how good or bad that president is. at their best, the words of a president can inspire. at their worst, they can incite. therefore, i call on president trump to go

on national television now, to fulfil his oath and defend the constitution, and demand an end to this siege. republican pollster frank luntz was at the capitol during the unrest. hejoins us now. thanks for being with us. i was there too, and ifound it really shocking, especially when we heard gunfire at some moments. what did you make of what you witnessed? it was an interesting challenge for me, i doa interesting challenge for me, i do a lot of work on fox news, and none of those people, even though i had a mask on this whole time, a number of people recognised me. and there were more than a few who wished i was not there and considered me a traitor because myjob is to tell it like it is. donald trump lost the election, he did not win it in a landslide. he

continues to embarrass himself and embarrass the country, and someone and embarrass the country, and someone has to say this. so they wanted me nowhere near there. fortunately because i was wearing a mask, most people just ignored me, as they were ignoring each other, each person. i was surprised at the size, because the sides were so harsh and so ugly. and this is an example of what the million woman march had done the day after donald trump was inaugurated in 2017, and i was critical of them, and i'm critical of them, and i'm critical of them, and i'm critical of these republicans for carrying sides, saying they would still make of their kids would still make of their kids would be embarrassed. some people said they love the police. i'm filming, i don't know if you got that film but i filmed the ugliness between the protesters and the police. they are attacking police in preventing their cars from getting through, claiming they are pro—police, yet their

behaviour was completely hypocritical. and third, the idea that this building, the people's house would be destroyed frankly by republicans is just... i destroyed frankly by republicans isjust... i don't know how to describe it. it is an embarrassment, and i'm sorry for people in britain, i know this goes globally, and i'm sorry for what we have shown. we are not a shining city on a hill. we have no right to moralise or condemn others when we can't behave ourselves. and soi we can't behave ourselves. and so i felt a deep sense of sadness as this went on. mr trump is saying that these are the things that events happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from the great patriots. what do you make of that? one of his last weeks before twitter locked his account for 12 hours. they should lock it for 12 days. i

know that you don't allow, and i'm trying to be good, but there is a word to describe it. i'lljust say there is a word to describe it. i'll just say clap. there is a word to describe it. i'lljust say clap. and it is very upsetting, because he is creating the environment — i'm a language guy, myjob, and i've done this for the bbc for decades, myjob is to translate what the politicians say and talk about the impact it has on the voters. well, they listen to donald trump, the trust donald trump, they respond to donald trump, they respond to donald trump, they respond to donald trump, he has impact on them, he makes the difference. in his unwillingness to address the nation, his inability to, ina the nation, his inability to, in a minute's time, it was a one minute statement, his inability to not say 01 in a landslide, which is a lie — he isa landslide, which is a lie — he is a lie for this. and the fact that a young woman died for this is the worst. my heart goes out to her and herfamily.

we area goes out to her and herfamily. we are a very sick country with disc. it's toxic, this is poisonous, and i thought nothing could be worse than britain leaving brexit. i thought that nothing could be worse than what you guys have been through for the last three yea rs. been through for the last three years. but i was wrong. because at its worst, it was nowhere near as bad as we have been in the last few hours. we aren't done yet. we still have another 24 done yet. we still have another 2a hours of this horrible situation to contend with. i've never seen situation to contend with. i've never seen this in my life, the idea that americans would be attacking the capital is a disgrace, and we are going to have to live with it. do you think this is the moment at which the republican party brea ks which the republican party breaks with donald trump?|j certainly hope so. i certainly hope that they have the courage of their conviction, and i heard and mitch mcconnell‘s speech, i'm looking forward to kevin mccarthy's beach, i've heard a number of people on tv since then — make no mistake,

if you break with republicans, he comes after you, he threatens to the primary unit, he attacks you notjust on twitter but in every possible way, and he tries to wreck your career. in republicans that break with the president, their careers are usually over. so this is not something you do casually because her life is changed. that said, watching his people attacked the capital, the president has done so much damage notjust of the republican party but to the country. and i can't believe, i'm thinking of the remicade delegate ramifications to me as i say these things. but i was there, i watched it. i say these things. but i was there, iwatched it. and if someone there, iwatched it. and if someone wants to complain that i'm disloyal, fine, because i'm not loyal to a movement that doesn't believe in democracy. i'm not loyal to a movement that doesn't believe in rule of law, the things that donald trump claims in the last 2a hours has been proven to be a

lie. and i know the significance of saying it on the bbc, and that's why i say it. it is a big, shining lie. frank, thanks for joining it. it is a big, shining lie. frank, thanks forjoining us there with that very impassioned analysis after this dramatic day in america. thank you, thank you for having me. i should just apologise for some of the language. we can look now live at the seams on capitol hill where the national guard has been deployed here in washington, dc. in about five minutes' time, lawmakers will resume that process that was interrupted when protesters stormed capitol hill of certifying the electoral couege certifying the electoral college victory of donald —— joe biden over donald trump. that was the event which is pa rt that was the event which is part of the six ordinary event.

let's just recap the invasion of the capitol building by supporters of donald trump. this is the moment they pushed past security officials on the steps. it seems some pepper spray or other substance may have been used. some of the group at the front are wearing masks. there are no weapons apparent, and the security officials on the steps do not appear to be reaching for any weapons either. however, when it becomes clear they cannot hold back the advancing protestors, they begin to give way. a few minutes later, riot police tried to make their way through the crowds to reinforce the security teams inside. they are wearing full protective gear, but don't appear to be using weapons. the protestors eventually made their way right into the very heart of the building. here they are inside one of the main lobby areas, the world—renowned rotunda. things to note — no weapons on display, no threats of violence — but also, no security officials those are the extraordinary scenes from a dramatic day were a woman lost her life on capitol hill. stay with us here

on bbc news for more. hello there. there was some welcome sunshine in many areas on wednesday, but there's a definite wintery feel and look to the weather at the moment. not only do we have a widespread frost, but there will be some icy stretches around, and we have a spell of snow moving down from scotland and northern ireland ahead of that, some patches of freezing fog, as well. let's have a look at more detail then into the morning. and whilst there will be some patchy fog in the southeast of england, most of it will be through the midlands and towards merseyside. some icy patches in eastern england with those showers coming in off the north sea. and quite icy in scotland and northern ireland with that band of rain, sleet and snow moving down across the country, leaving a few centimetres of lying snow by the morning in many areas. now gradually that rain, sleet, and increasingly snow to high ground moves down into northern england. brightening up in scotland and northern ireland, more snow for northern scotland.

further south, most of that fog will tend to lift, although it could be quite great in a few places and feel particularly cold, some sunshine to come especially in wales and the southwest — another cold day wherever you are. and it will stay cold as we move into friday. the threat of more ice and also frost, as well, and maybe some more wintry showers coming into eastern scotland and northern england. a spell of light snow expected through the midlands and wales before that tends to peter out, also some damp weather in the southwest. but away from here, many places i think we'll see some sunshine. again, it's a cold day, temperatures struggling to 1—2 celsius, for example, in glasgow and also birmingham. now let's head into the weekend — slow changes to come, widespread frost on saturday morning, sunshine for england and wales, a cold day here, turning more cloudy for scotland and northern ireland, but a dampness around as well, especially in northern scotland as the breeze picks up. temperatures start to rise in the northwest of scotland, it stays cold elsewhere

with temperatures at 3—4 celsius. we've got a weak weather front for northern areas, still around for the second half of the weekend. high pressure starting to nudge in, and we are starting to change in the wind direction, picking up some milder air slowly but surely that'll come in from the atlantic. but that does mean the weather will turn more unsettled. we start to see the milder air coming in towards northwestern areas, wind picking up and rain moving in early next week, and eventually that milder air moves further south and also further east.

this is bbc news. i'm laura trevelyan, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. chaos on capitol hill — supporters of donald trump storm congress as lawmakers try to confirm joe biden's election victory. the building was evacuated and officers clashed with protesters. one person was shot. police have confirmed she's now died. the president—elect condemned the scenes in washington, saying they were unacceptable and un—american. this and un—american. is not the sent. it is it is this is not the sent. it is it is chaos. it borders on sedition. democracy unbowed — the business of the day was suspended for several hours but will now resume.

this is the scene live in washington