Coup at the Capitol of Babylon the Great

Global news outlets are calling pro-Trump protesters storming the US Capitol a ‘coup de force’

Jacob Shamsian and Jake Lahut

Jan 6, 2021, 3:33 PM

Pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday afternoon, breaking into the halls of Congress and clashing with police officers.

News outlets around the world have described the events in stark terms. BFM TV, the French equivalent of CNN, described it as “le coup de force des pro-Trump,” or a “pro-Trump takeover.”

The chyron ran as the network brought on US correspondents and other experts to cover the developments in real time.

The congressional meeting to count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election, which President Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden, was suspended as protesters breached the doors of the Capitol building.

It is normally a ceremonial event, but many Trump supporters wrongly believe, at Trump’s urging, that Vice President Mike Pence has the power to reject the votes and offer Trump a path to victory.

Earlier Wednesday, several miles away, Trump spoke to supporters at a rally and urged Pence to “do the right thing.” As protesters marched into the Capitol building, Trump tweeted that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”

News organizations around the world covered the pro-Trump protesters breaking into the chambers of Congress:

• France’s Liberation: “Trumpists break into Capitol Hill”
• Germany’s Die Zeit: “US Congress session suspended after tumult”
• Germany’s Welt: “Trump supporters invade the Capitol”
• The Times of India: “US Capitol in lockdown as Trump supporters disrupt Cong proceedings”
• Norway’s Aftenposten: “Trump supporters have entered Congress. Mike Pence has been brought to safety.”
• Israel’s Jerusalem Post: “US Capitol put on lockdown as pro-Trump demonstrators storm the Capitol”
• Britain’s The Guardian: “Trump supporters storm Capitol as McConnell warns of democracy ‘death spiral'”
• Russia’s state-controlled RT: “US Congress goes into LOCKDOWN as pro-Trump protesters storm Capitol”
• Canada’s Globe and Mail: “Pro-Trump protesters storm U.S. Capitol, halt session to confirm Biden’s election victory”
• Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter: “Thousands of Trump supporters have stormed the Capitol — stopping Biden’s approval”
• Spain’s El Pais: “Chaos seizes Washington in the session to ratify the triumph of Joe Biden”
• Turkey’s Hurriyet: “Things are messed up in the USA! Demonstrators stormed the Congress building”
• Saudi Arabia’s Arab News: “US Capitol locked down as Trump supporters clash with police”
• Australia’s The Age: “Chaos breaks out in Washington as Trump supporters storm Congress”