Lawmakers react to Capitol protests, urge peace

WATCH: President-elect Joe Biden gives remarks on the unrest at the CapitolProtesters entered the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, forcing members of Congress to evacuate in the middle of certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Lawmakers and politicians from both parties, many of whom were present during the protests, reacted to the situation and discouraged violence. We will be updating this article with more lawmakers' responses as they come in. President Trump: Vice President Mike Pence: President-elect Joe Biden: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a joint statement on the Capitol protests: “We are calling on President Trump to demand that all protestors leave the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Grounds immediately.”Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR):Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA): Governor Ralph Northam (D-VA): Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN):Representative Dan Kildee (D-MI): Congressman William Timmons (R-SC): Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) shared a video of the protests, saying, “Just evacuated my office in Cannon due to a nearby threat. Now we’re seeing protesters assaulting Capitol Police. This is wrong. This is not who we are. I’m heartbroken for our nation today.”Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC):Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL):Marco Rubio (R-FL): Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH): House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA): Steve Scalise (R-LA): Ted Cruz (R-TX): Though she has yet to comment on the situation, according to reports Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi requested backup from the National Guard.

WATCH: President-elect Joe Biden gives remarks on the unrest at the Capitol

Protesters entered the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, forcing members of Congress to evacuate in the middle of certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Lawmakers and politicians from both parties, many of whom were present during the protests, reacted to the situation and discouraged violence. We will be updating this article with more lawmakers' responses as they come in.

President Trump:

Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Vice President Mike Pence:

The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence)

Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence)

President-elect Joe Biden:

Let me be very clear: the scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not represent who we are. What we are seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent, it's disorder. It borders on sedition, and it must end. Now.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden)

America is so much better than what we’re seeing today.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden)

I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution by demanding an end to this siege.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden)

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris:

I join President-elect in calling for the assault on the Capitol and our nation’s public servants to end, and as he said, “allow the work of democracy to go forward.”
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Capitol protests: “We are calling on President Trump to demand that all protestors leave the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Grounds immediately.”

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR):

Violence and anarchy are unacceptable. We are a nation of laws.

This needs to end now.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton)

Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA):

We are being told to shelter in place not because of a foreign terrorist attack but because of a domestic coup attempt. I expected this as a US Marine in Iraq. I never imagined it as a US Congressman in America.
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton)

Governor Ralph Northam (D-VA):

My team and I are working closely with , , and to respond to the situation in Washington, D.C.

Per the Mayor's request, I am sending members of the Virginia National Guard along with 200 Virginia State Troopers.
— Governor Ralph Northam (@VAGovernor73)

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN):

These actions at the US Capitol by protestors are truly despicable and unacceptable. While I am safe and sheltering in place, these protests are prohibiting us from doing our constitutional duty. I condemn them in the strongest possible terms. We are a nation of laws.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn)

Representative Dan Kildee (D-MI):

I am in the House Chambers. We have been instructed to lie down on the floor and put on our gas masks. Chamber security and Capitol Police have their guns drawn as protesters bang on the front door of the chamber.

This is not a protest. This is an attack on America.
— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee)

Congressman William Timmons (R-SC):

President – We voted for you. We supported you. We must maintain law and order. Protestors must vacate the Capitol immediately.
— Congressman William Timmons (@RepTimmons)

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) [warning: profanity] of the protests, saying, “Just evacuated my office in Cannon due to a nearby threat. Now we’re seeing protesters assaulting Capitol Police. This is wrong. This is not who we are. I’m heartbroken for our nation today.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC):

I support peaceful protests but not violence and destruction. People need to leave the Capitol now!

This is a national embarrassment.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC)

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL):

I have spent my entire adult life defending our Constitution and people’s rights to peacefully demonstrate. I never thought I’d need to defend democracy from an attempted, violent overthrow in our own nation’s Capitol.

I will not yield to those who seek to harm our democracy.
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth)

Marco Rubio (R-FL):

There is nothing patriotic about what is occurring on Capitol Hill. This is 3rd world style anti-American anarchy.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio)

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH):

My staff and I are safe.

The violence at the Capitol needs to end now.

The lives of countless workers – journalists, staff, and Capitol Police are being put at risk by this attack on our democracy.
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown)

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA):

Thank you to Capitol Police for protecting the People's House.

Protesters have a Constitutionally-protected right to be heard, but I urge them to remain peaceful.
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy)

Steve Scalise (R-LA):

United States Capitol Police saved my life.

Attacks on law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs are never acceptable. Period.

We can passionately protest without being violent.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise)

Ted Cruz (R-TX):

Those storming the Capitol need to stop NOW.

The Constitution protects peaceful protest, but violence—from Left or Right— is ALWAYS wrong.

And those engaged in violence are hurting the cause they say they support.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz)

Though she has yet to comment on the situation, according to reports Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi from the National Guard.

Confirming other reports: has requested National Guard troops to clear and secure the Capitol via request from the Capitol Police Board.
A D.C. government official tells me troops are on the way.
— Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis)

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