US Capitol riot timeline: from Donald Trump’s speech to Ashli Babbitt’s death - how 2021 riots unfolded

Donald Trump failed to take “immediate action in a time of crisis” during the Capitol riots of 6 January 2021. The then US president watched the attack unfold on TV in his dining room, an eighth hearing into the riot was told.

It is alleged that Mr Trump was wanting to stop the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory by not intervening. Dozens were injured in the attack on the Washington building and five people died, including US Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, in what Mr Biden had previously called the “darkest day in US history”.

Mr Trump, sitting president at the time of the riots, was charged with ‘incitement of insurrection’ and impeached for a second time by the House of Representatives for his role, but later cleared in a Senate trial.

Here’s how the riots unfolded...

US Capitol 2021 attack timeline

8.17am - Mr Trump continues his unfounded claims of vote fraud after losing the election to Mr Biden. He posts on Twitter: “States want to correct their votes, which they now know were based on irregularities and fraud, plus corrupt process never received legislative approval. All Mike Pence has to do is send them back to the States, AND WE WIN. Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!”

10.58am - A contingent of the Proud Boys group, a far right militia, head for the Capitol

12pm - Mr Trump, the sitting president, addresses thousands of supporters at a rally near the White House before chaos ensued, promising to “never concede” that he had lost before Congress met on Wednesday to certify Democrat Mr Biden’s presidential win

12.53pm - Trump supporters march to the Capitol, breach barricades and fight police to storm into the building, forcing Congress to halt the voter certification process. As rioters shouted and waved Trump and American flags while marching through the halls, people inside the building were directed to duck under their seats for cover and put on gas masks after tear gas was used in the Capitol Rotunda

1.10pm - Ending his hour long speech, Mr Trump says “We fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore. So let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.” Capitol police call for backup and send an evacuation warning

2.13pm - Vice president Mike Pence is evacuated from the Senate floor by the Secret Service. Protestors forcibly make their way into the building, breaking glass and kicking open doors for others to follow. Recess of the Senate is called. Officer Eugene Goodman encounters the mob and lures rioters away from the upper chamber. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is evacuated from the Capitol

2.24pm - Mr Trump says Mr Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our constitution”, adding “USA demands the truth!” The House debate is suspended, called back into session in the hope of finishing the count before being abruptly recessed. Members are told to reach for tear gas masks and be prepared to use them. A Democratic congressman, Eric Swalwell, sends a text to his wife: “I love you and the babies. Please hug them for me”

2.41pm - Glass windows of the House chamber doors are shattered, footage shows the hands of an officer on the other side and holding a gun. A shot is heard and Ashli Babbitt falls to the ground.

3.13pm - As pressure mounted on president Trump to condemn supporters as they clashed with law enforcement, he posted on Twitter: “I am asking for everyone at the US Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”

4.05pm - Addressing the nation, Mr Biden said that democracy is “under an unprecedented assault” and demanded that Mr Trump make a televised address calling on his supporters to cease the violence

4.17pm - In a video posted on Twitter, Mr Trump asked his supporters to “go home”, claiming the results of the election were fraudulent and he feels their “pain”. Twitter later removed this tweet, and a later one urging protesters to “go home with love & in peace”

5.40pm - The Capitol building is cleared of rioters as members say they will continue tallying electoral votes

6.14pm - A perimeter on the west side of the Capitol building is successfully established by law enforcement officers

7pm - Twitter and Facebook remove Mr Trumps posts 8pm - US Capitol Police declare the Capitol building to be secure

8.06pm - The Senate reconvenes, with Mr Pence presiding, to continue the debate around objection to the Arizona electoral count. At 10.15pm, the Senate votes 93-6 against the objection raised by a handful of Republican senators against the counting of Arizona’s electoral votes

9pm - Speaker Pelosi reopens the House debate and a vote of 303-121 in favour of rejecting the Republican objection to the counting of Arizona’s electoral votes is passed at 11.30pm