Congress finalizes Biden's win after riot disrupts Capitol

By Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Melissa Mahtani, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 5:15 p.m. ET, January 7, 2021
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3:33 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

The Capitol has been breached, and the House is in recess 

From Ted Barrett, Manu Raju and CNN's Capitol Hill team

CNN
CNN

The US Capitol has been breached during a tense situation with demonstrators, according to Capitol police officers.

The House doors have been locked and an emergency alert from the Capitol police just transmitted the same thing:

"Due to an INTERNAL threat in the building, take shelter in the nearest office and stay quiet."

Capitol Hill police are also blocking anyone from moving from Senate office buildings into the US Capitol building. There are underground tunnels that link the office buildings with the Capitol building that senators, staff, and journalists use to travel back and forth. 

Watch more:

3:33 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Donald Trump Jr. reacts to protests: "This is wrong and not who we are"

Donald Trump Jr. condemned protesters outside the Capitol building, saying "this is wrong and not who we are."

In a tweet, he urged demonstrators to be peaceful "and use your 1st Amendment rights, but don’t start acting like the other side. We have a country to save and this doesn’t help anyone."

3:32 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

This is what it looks like at the US Capitol right now

Hundreds of pro-Trump protesters have gathered on the House side of the US Capitol.

Moments ago, Capitol police officers said the building has been breached.

"Due to an INTERNAL threat in the building, take shelter in the nearest office and stay quiet," police said in an alert.

Congress is now in recess and the electoral certification process has been paused.

Here's a look at the scene on Capitol Hill right now:

CNN
CNN

John Minchillo/AP
John Minchillo/AP

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Julio Cortez/AP
Julio Cortez/AP

3:32 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Top House Republican urges protesters to "remain peaceful"

Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy is urging demonstrators outside of the US Capitol to "remain peaceful."

The US Capitol is currently on lockdown, according to Capitol police officers. Congress is in session right now to count and certify the Electoral College votes for president and vice president.

See his tweet:

Watch:

3:32 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Pro-Trump protesters push through barriers at US Capitol Building, met with flash bangs and tear gas

From CNN’s Peter Nickeas

Shortly after 1 p.m. ET pro-Trump protesters pushed through barriers set up along the perimeter of the US Capitol Building. They tussled with officers in full riot gear, some calling officers "traitors" for doing their jobs. 

Protesters could be seen pushing against metal fences, and police using the fences to push protesters back, while other officers reached over the top to club people trying to cross their lines. 

Flash bangs could be heard near the steps of the Capitol as smoke filled the air. In some instances officers could be seen deploying pepper spray.

Teargas has been deployed, but it’s not clear whether by protesters or police, and people wiped tears from their eyes while coughing.  

 Trump supporters chanted "USA" and waved American flags as well as flags reading "Don’t Tread on Me."

2:21 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

GOP Pennsylvania senator: "Why are the objectors objecting only to swing states that President Trump lost?"

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey criticized his GOP colleagues' objections to Arizona's electoral results.

"Why are the objectors objecting only to swing states that President Trump lost? What about the ones he won? I don't know, North Carolina? What about California?," the senator said.

He added:

"If Congress gets to decide which states get to vote in the electoral college, then clearly Congress is selecting the President, not the people. Whichever party controls both houses of congress would control the presidency. The public would never tolerate Congress picking the president."

Toomey emphasized that Congress has no authority under the US Constitution to overturn the results of an election.

"I voted for President Trump. I publicly endorsed President Trump. I campaigned for President Trump. I did not want Joe Biden to win this election. But there's something more important to me than having my preferred candidate sworn in as the next president and that's to have the American people's chosen candidate sworn in as the next president," he concluded.

3:32 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Congresswoman says she evacuated her office as pro-Trump demonstrators protest at Capitol

From CNN's Adrienne Vogt

As US Capitol police said the Capitol is on lockdown amid a tense situation with demonstrators outside, Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria tweeted that she had to evacuate her office. 

"I don’t recognize our country today and the members of Congress who have supported this anarchy do not deserve to represent their fellow Americans," Luria added in another tweet.

2:15 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

Sen. Klobuchar pushes back against GOP arguments and underlines historic nature of today's vote

CNN
CNN

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, pushed back against Sen. Ted Cruz's claims that the election was fraudulent, saying he didn't make the same arguments for lawmakers who were elected on the same ballots.

"I did not see Senator Cruz over at the swearing-in of the House of Representatives last Sunday asking for an audit. He did not stop their swearing in, because there was no fraud. He did not ask for an audit, because we had a fair election," she said during the debate on the Senate floor on an objection to Arizona's electoral votes.

The senator also pointed out several lawsuits that were dismissed by courts in Arizona.

"What matters is not our futures, not our own short-term destinies. What matters is our democracy's destiny, because, I think many of us know, people will not know who we are 100 years from now, or 200 years from now, but what they will know is this – they will know what we did today, how we voted today, and that is more important than who we are," Klobuchar said.

3:35 p.m. ET, January 6, 2021

US Capitol on lockdown after escalating situation among demonstrators

From Ted Barrett and Manu Raju 

John Minchillo/AP
John Minchillo/AP

The US Capitol is on lockdown during a tense situation with demonstrators outside the building, according to Capitol police officers.

A CNN employee tried to leave the building and couldn’t because police said the building is on lockdown. 

Congress is currently in session to count and certify the Electoral College votes for president and vice president.