World Leaders Condemn ’Rampage’ On Capitol Hill

By Staff, Agencies

Leaders around the world condemned the storming of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. by supporters of US President Donald Trump.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a tweet blasted the "disgraceful scenes in US Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power,” he claimed.

"We will not give in to the violence of a few who want to question" democracy, French President Emmanuel Macron said on twitter. "What happened today in Washington is not American."

For her part, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she was "furious and saddened" by the incidents and that Trump was partly to blame.

"I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded his defeat, since November and again yesterday," she said.

Tens of thousands of Trump supporters rallied at the US Capitol Wednesday in a so-called "Stop the Steal" march, as both houses of Congress met to ratify the votes of the Electoral College.

Hundreds of protesters succeeded in bursting through police barricades and stormed the Capitol building itself. Vice President Mike Pence - who had earlier argued that he had no constitutional basis with which to decline to ratify Joe Biden's election victory - was whisked out of the main chamber by secret service agents.

At least four people were reported killed in the ensuing violence. Congress later certified Biden's victory, and Trump promised a peaceful transfer of power on January 20.