Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday left behind a trail of destruction in the historic building, including broken doors, toppled furniture, shattered glass and graffiti.
Photos taken by journalists inside the Capitol showed Trump supporters smashing windows in order to breach the building. Other rioters entered the offices of some lawmakers, including that of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Glass on doors to the House chamber was also shattered during Wednesday’s riot. At one point, photos showed Capitol police and Secret Service agents with guns drawn in front of the door.
BREAKING: #Trump Supporters Break Glass windows at Capitol, trying to storm in.
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) January 6, 2021
Building on lockdown, session in recess and situation escalating: pic.twitter.com/3tVNntPNXv
Later, video taken from the Capitol showed custodial workers cleaning up the shattered glass before lawmakers returned to certify the Electoral College tally.
The same House chamber doors where the armed standoff took place hours ago is being cleaned for members to return for the joint session: pic.twitter.com/JlZgzwci8n
— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) January 7, 2021
During that standoff, the sealed Electoral College certificates submitted by every state — the documents that confirmed Joe Biden's win in the presidential election — were removed from the House chamber for safekeeping.
The electoral college certificates - ratifying Biden’s win - are being marched back to the Senate chamber. pic.twitter.com/uNte4GcF3S
— Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) January 7, 2021
Later, NBC photographer Frank Thorp also captured an image that showed a bust of President Zachary Taylor smeared with blood.
Blood on President Zachary Taylor’s bust in U.S. Capitol after yesterday’s terrorist attack, photographed by @frankthorp @yashar pic.twitter.com/KbfeE6ZQQQ
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) January 7, 2021
As police began to clear the building video showed Trump supporters exiting through a door upon which someone had scrawled “Murder The Media.”
Rioters left this message inside The United States Capitol pic.twitter.com/jxH6Rwq2dM
— Anthony Quintano (@AnthonyQuintano) January 6, 2021
It wasn’t just the Capitol building that suffered damage. Trump supporters also accosted a group of broadcast journalists and damaged some of their equipment. Reports later indicated that the rioters attempted to set the equipment ablaze.
A bunch of Associated Press equipment had to be abandoned and a crowd is trashing it. "We are the news now!" a man yells. Looks like they're going to try to light it on fire. pic.twitter.com/3GPNcUlDeC
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) January 6, 2021
Custodial staff returned to the Capitol building on Thursday morning to begin cleaning up the debris left by the rioters, including water bottles, gas masks, and Trump 2020 flags.
It’s currently unclear how much it will cost to repair the damage levied by the riots.
Four people died during Wednesday’s riots — one woman was shot by police, and three others died following medical emergencies. More than 50 people were arrested.
