Four People Have Died During Violent Protests In Washington DC

It's after supporters of Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol building.

Politicians were to formally declare Joe Biden the winner of November's election, which Donald Trump still falsely claims is fraudulent.

Tear gas was fired as crowds clashed with officers - two pipe bombs were found outside the headquarters of the two main political parties.

US Vice President Mike Pence has defied Donald Trump by condemning the protests.

He told politicians - as the sitting in the House got underway again - that violence never triumphs:

"Freedom wins. And this is still the people's house. As we reconvene in this chamber. The world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy."

52 arrests have been made following the clashes on Capitol Hill.

Social media companies have put limits on Donald Trump's accounts.

Mitch McConnell is a senior member of Trump's Republican party:

"The United States and the United States Congress has faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd, we saw today. We've never been deterred before, and will be not deterred today."

The Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has described the incident in Washington as a "deliberate assault on democracy by a sitting President".

World leaders have condemned the actions of the demonstrators overnight.

Former US Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin O'Malley, blames Donald Trump for the riot that followed. 

"His speech really incited this mob. I lay this directly at his feet. He's responsible for what's happened here in the Capitol which is really shocking and I think that this is not the United States, this is a group of Trumpian people who have for some reason become crazed and are unable to accept resounding defeat at the polls."

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