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7 January 2021

Rainbow flag holders spotted among pro-Trump mob storming Capitol Hill

Four people have died and 52 have been arrested after last night's events

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; pictures: Twitter

Video footage has emerged of rainbow flag holders among the pro-Trump mob who stormed Capitol Hill in Washington, DC yesterday.

Four died after supporters of the US President faced off with police and forced a lockdown in the Capitol building.

The violent scenes followed a speech by Trump in which he encouraged supporters to overturn his defeat by Joe Biden in last November’s presidential election.

After the interruption, US Congress certified Democrat Biden’s victory; he will now be sworn in on 20 January.

“Who is there with a gays for Trump flag?”

Among several videos circulating on social media containing pride flags, one shows Trump supporters pepper-spraying and punching police.

Another photo posted to Instagram showed a protester with a flag reading: “LGBT for Trump.”

In November, it was reported that over a quarter of LGBTQ voters voted for Trump.

 
 
 
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A post shared by Tyler Maron (@tyler_am)

“We love you. You’re very special”

In a statement, Trump said last night: “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th.”

Trump, whose Twitter account has been locked, earlier told rioters in a Twitter video: “We love you. You’re very special.”

While refusing to condemn protestors’ behaviour and repeating falsehoods about the election, he said in the clip: “I know your pain, I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order.

“We don’t want anybody hurt. It’s a very tough period of time. There’s never been a time like this, where such a thing happened, where they could take it away from all of us. From me, from you, from our country. This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you, you’re very special. We’ve seen what happens, you see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know you how feel. But go home, and go home in peace.”

A woman named Ashli Babbitt was shot dead by police and three others died of “medical emergencies” after last night’s riots, say police.

 


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