United States (US) President-elect Joe Biden, in a remark made in Wilmington, Delaware, lambasted President Donald Trump, blaming him for the havoc wreaked by a mob of his supporters at the US Capitol.
Joe Biden on Thursday, 7 January, stated that the treatment meted out by the law enforcement to this “mob of thugs” that stormed the Capitol was contrasting to the treatment subjected to those protesting police brutality and racial injustice.
Trump, on his part, following his return to Twitter after a 12-hour-long freeze posted, what is being dubbed, by sections of International Media, as a “conciliatory message” and said “this moment calls for healing and reconciliation”.
What Did Biden Say?
The President-elect, on Thursday, said:
“No one can tell me that if that had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they wouldn’t have been treated very differently than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol.”
Biden also added: "We all know that's true and it is unacceptable. Totally unacceptable. The American people saw in plain view and I hope it sensitised them to what we have to do."
Terming the incident at the Capitol as not merely a failure to protect one of the three branches of the US government but also a "clear failure to carry out equal justice”, Biden added:
“(The scene) vividly demonstrated some of the most important work we have to do in this nation, committing ourselves to the rule of law in this nation.”
Further, alleging that Trump had mounted a four-year-long campaign attacking the nation’s institutions, including the press, the Justice Department and the federal judiciary. Biden, according to the video shared on Twitter, said:
“I wish we could say we couldn’t see it coming, but that isn’t true. We could see it coming.”
Referring to Wednesday as "one of the darkest days of the history of our nation”, Biden, according to said:
"It was chaos…They weren't protesters, don't dare call them protesters. They were a riotous mob, insurrectionists, domestic terrorists. It's that basic, it's that simple."
What Did Trump Say?
Condemning the “heinous attack” at the Capitol, Trump said:
“Now Congress has certified the results...a new administration will be inaugurated on 20 January...My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation.”
He also praised his “wonderful supporters”, saying "our incredible journey is only just beginning".
According to BBC, Trump’s message came while top Democrats sought his removal from office, a mere 13 days before he is supposed to step down.
Background
Outgoing US President Donald Trump’s account was temporarily blocked by Twitter and Facebook, after he sent out tweets backing his supporters who stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, 6 January.
While making false claims about election fraud, Trump, in a series of tweets, told the protesters that he "loves” them, before telling them to go home.
Both companies removed several posts of Trump that cast doubt on the election results and lauded his supporters. Twitter also threatened to put a permanent ban on his account after he violated their social media policies.
Pro-Trump protesters stormed the United States (US) Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, in scenes that were broadcast live on multiple news channels across the world.
Members of both Houses of the US Congress were meeting to conduct the vote certifying the Electoral College victory of Joe Biden in the US presidential election. Both Houses had to be evacuated, before the Senate reconvened later.
Several hours after the crisis began, the Capitol Police finally managed to clear the mob from the building after 5:30 pm (EST), with the Capitol’s Sergeant-at-Arms confirming the building was secure, according to CNN.
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