Washington in chaos: how the madness and mayhem unfolded

In a few short hours, supporters of Donald Trump went from rallying for the president to storming the US Capitol. Here's how it happened.

Georgia Wilkins

Jan 07, 2021

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capitol hill mob protest — (Image: EPA/Jim Lo Scalzo)

“We will not take it anymore”. These were the words that started it all.

Speaking to a rally in Washington DC, Donald Trump whipped his supporters into a frenzy, telling them he would "never give up" and "never concede".

Less than two hours later they were violently storming the Capitol building, forcing politicians to flee and igniting a day of violence and upheaval commentators have compared to the Civil War.

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About the Author

Georgia Wilkins

Reporter @georgiamareew

Georgia Wilkins is a senior reporter at Crikey. Previously Georgia was a journalist at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. She has also worked as a reporter overseas.