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Thousands of Trump supporters get in to west lawn of Capitol hill to protest against President-elect Joe Biden’s legal election win during the day Congress votes to certify as US President-elect, today on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington D.C. Credit: Lenin Nolly/Sipa USA via TNS

Ohio senators and congressional representatives have confirmed their safety and condemned the violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol Building, causing the electoral college certification process to halt as both chambers of Congress were evacuated.

Supporters of President Donald Trump who want the legal election that saw President-elect Joe Biden voted into office to be overturned broke through Capitol Police barricades and into the congressional chambers around 2 p.m. 

Gov. Mike DeWine in a statement said stopping the constitutional process of electing a president is not an exercise of First Amendment rights. 

“This is an embarrassment to our country.  This must stop immediately.  The President should call for the demonstrators to leave our Capitol Building,” DeWine said. “The final step in the constitutional process of electing our president has been disrupted. The stopping of the count of the Electoral College votes has occurred because the security of the U.S. Capitol has been breached by a violent mob. As a nation of laws, this is simply not acceptable. Lawlessness is not acceptable. This is an affront to our Constitution and everything we hold dear. Those who breached the Capitol breached the Constitution.”

Before a room of reporters, Biden called the storming of the Capitol an “assault” on democracy and law.  

“This is not dissent. It’s disorder, it’s chaos. It borders on sedition,” Biden said. “And it must end now.”

Biden called on Trump to publicly denounce the mob and defend democracy. He said any president’s words, at their best, have the power to inspire. At their worst, he said they have the power to incite.

In a video, before condemning those who entered the Capitol building, Trump falsely asserted that the election was fraudulent and that he won in a landslide. Trump told the mob to go home peacefully but also said he loved and understood the mob.

Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson referred to the mob’s actions as “reprehensible” and expressed her concern for those injured in a tweet.

The Capitol has been secured as of 7:30 p.m. and members of Congress are reentering to finish confirming the electoral college ballots for Biden, according to reporters at the scene.

David DeVillers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, tweeted that he will prosecute anyone who traveled from his jurisdiction with the intent to commit what he called “federal crimes” at the Capitol.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) tweeted he and his staff were safe, urging the mob to end their violence.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) condemned the mob in a tweet and called on President Donald Trump to do the same.

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3) tweeted a video condemning the “inexcusable, unacceptable” act of violence.

Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH-12) condemned the violence and tweeted the mob will not alter the constitutional process.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) tweeted support for Capitol Police. Jordan spoke on the House floor opposing certification of the electoral college results Wednesday and questioned the lack of an investigation by the House of Representatives.

“Somehow the guy who never left his basement won this election?” Jordan said. “Eighty million Americans, 80 million of our fellow citizens, Republicans and Democrats, have doubt about the election.”

Steve Stivers (R-OH-15) tweeted “destruction and lawlessness are not acceptable” and later asked the rioters carrying the “Thin Blue Line” flag to obey Capitol Police and law enforcement at the scene.

Steve Chabot (R-OH-1), in a thread of tweets, condemned the violence as “completely unacceptable” and called on its end.

Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2) tweeted those “violating the law need to be held accountable.”

Bob Latta (R-OH-5) called the attacks “abhorrent” and thanked members of Capitol Police.

Bill Johnson (R-OH-6) condemned the  mob and expressed his shock, tweeting that rioting is “not the way Americans solve our problems.”

Bob Gibbs (R-OH-7) called the rioting “un-American.”

Warren Davidson (R-OH-8) thanked Capitol Police and instilled his confidence they will be able to handle the situation.

Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) tweeted that Trump’s actions were “reprehensible and dangerous.”

Mike Turner (R-OH-10) called for Trump to permit Congress to facilitate the peaceful transition of power to Biden.

Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11), Biden’s nominee for the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said this is a sad day in American history and “violence is never the answer.”

Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) asked for prayers for law enforcement, Capitol Hill staff and the country.

David Joyce (R-OH-14) tweeted people who supported Trump also support “law and order” and need to stop the chaos. He later tweeted that Trump’s message to rioters was not enough.

Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH-16) condemned the “violent mobs” in a tweet and said the peaceful transition of power is essential to the nation’s democracy.

This story was updated at 7:45 p.m. to include Johnson’s tweet and the senators’ return to the Capitol.

This story was updated at 6 p.m. to include a comment from U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers.