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‘Disgraceful’ and ‘distressing’: World leaders condemn scenes at US Capitol building

ABCB NEWS January 7, 2021

A protester hangs from the balcony in the US Senate Chamber. Source: Getty Images

Politicians in Australia and around the world have responded to attempts to disrupt the peaceful transition of power in the United States.

World leaders including Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson have condemned the storming of the United States Capitol as “disgraceful” and “distressing”.

Supporters of US President Donald Trump breached the US Congress building on Thursday, clashing with police in a chaotic last-ditch attempt to overturn his election loss.

Politicians were forced to evacuate the building as Congress had begun formalising President-Elect Joe Biden’s election victory.

In a tweet, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the scenes were “very distressing” and condemned “these acts of violence”.

The demonstrations are believed to have been inflamed by Mr Trump’s false claims of a “stolen” election.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was “disgraceful” and called for the election result to be respected.

Mr Trump had earlier called on his followers to protest the certification of Mr Biden’s election victory.

Police drew guns as protesters tried to break into the House Chamber at the US Capitol.

A woman died after being shot amid the chaos of the demonstrations, Washington police have confirmed.

Former US President George W. Bush said the scenes were a “sickening” and “heartbreaking” sight.

“This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic – not our democratic republic,” he said in a statement.

“The violent assault on the Capitol– and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress– was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes.

“Insurrection could do grave damage to our Nation and reputation.”

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also said the violence had been caused by inflammatory rhetoric.

“The enemies of democracy will be delighted at these terrible images from Washington DC,” he tweeted in German.

“Trump and his supporters must accept the decision of American voters at last and stop trampling on democracy.”

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the scenes were “utterly horrifying” and shameful.

NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg also said the outcome of the election “must be respected”.

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd have also expressed their concern, with Mr Turnbull directly blaming Mr Trump.

“The President should call on the mob he incited to disperse and go home,” he tweeted.

Mr Rudd said the protests were a “physical attack” on institutions of democracy by a “far-right mob”.

“All because of extremist statements by political leaders attacking the legal results of a democratic election, echoed faithfully by a cancerous far-right media,” he tweeted. “This affects us all.”

Australia Opposition leader Anthony Albanese also said the “violent insurrection” in Washington was an “assault on the rule of law and democracy”.

In response to the protests, president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen tweeted “peaceful transition of power is at the core” of democracy.

President Trump later posted a video to Twitter calling on protesters to “go home in peace”, but continued to repeat unfounded claims that Joe Biden’s election win was the result of fraud.

Mr Biden said: “the scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect the true America and do not reflect who we are”.

SBS

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