President Trump supporters rally at Arizona Capitol as DC protest turns violent
PHOENIX - Members of Arizona's Republican party held a day-long rally outside the state's capitol for most of Wednesday, Jan. 6.
The rally marched on through the afternoon as news developed President Donald Trump supporters stormed and broke their way into the US Capitol building.
As the rally continued into nighttime Wednesday, fencing was put up around the capitol building and government employees were told to head home early from work.
Police and troopers with the Department of Public Safety were out at the rally that was peaceful.
Supporter Ronald Whitlow, came from San Diego to show his support for the president in Arizona. "I don’t think there is anything in San Diego. It is hard to find out when there is anything going on and if there was anything in our capitol in Sacramento, that is another 100 miles for me. I can come to Phoenix, 370 miles. It is 500 miles to Sacramento, this is a better choice," he said.
David Hernandez stopped by to see what was going on, saying, "It is scary too. I don’t know what could happen. What happened in D.C. is very scary. I just don’t want it to escalate and snowball."
At least one person is in critical condition after being shot in Washington D.C. and several officers were reportedly injured.
Thousands of National Guard troops were deployed to the nation's capitol to protect the building and lawmakers who were meeting to confirm President-elect Joe Biden's 2020 win.
Biden delivered remarks from Wilmington, Delaware where he called this a dark moment in American history. He called on President Trump to address the nation on TV.
Just minutes after Biden's address, Trump posted a video on Twitter asking for his supporters to go home in peace but continued to call the 2020 election fraudulent and stolen.
RELATED: 'You have to go home now:' Trump tells Capitol protesters to go home in video tweet
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