On Wednesday afternoon, a mob of pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol, resulting in chambers being vandalized and at least one death. The attack came in the middle of an ongoing vote to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, and it sent both lawmakers and members of the press scrambling for safety. Some found discreet paths out of the building, while others took shelter in the tunnels beneath the Capitol. But some photojournalists wandered the halls of the Capitol alongside the intruders, capturing stunning images of the mob at work. With police struggling to bring the nation’s capital under control, those images gave us a first-hand look at the chaos and disgrace of today’s events.
Supporters of US President Donald Trump gather outside the US Capitol. Photo by Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images
The crowd breaches the door, waving Gadsden flags and pro-Trump banners. Photo by Win McNamee / Getty Images
Demonstrators breached security, flooding into restricted zones of the Capitol. Photo by Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty Images
An intruder waves a Trump flag on a flight of stairs near the Senate floor. Photo by Win McNamee / Getty Images
US Capitol Police officers draw their guns as an intruder attempts to break through a barricaded door to the House Chamber. Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty Images
Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) comforts Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) while taking cover. Photo by Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) are directed toward exits by Capitol Police. Photo by Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
An intruder hangs from the Senate balcony, attempting to drop to the lower level. Photo by Win McNamee / Getty Images
Protesters enter the US Capitol as tear gas fills the corridor. Photo by Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images
US Capitol Police detain members of the mob outside the House Chamber. Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty Images