VP Pence To Protesters At Capitol: 'Immediately Leave The Building'

Vice President Mike Pence has released an official statement urging protesters to leave the United States Capitol after elected officials were forced to evacuate the House and Senate chambers.

"The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building," Pence tweeted on Wednesday (January 5) afternoon. "Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

President Donald Trump had publicly called Pence a coward for not attempting to try to block Congress from overthrowing the results of the 2020 presidential election amid the protests on Tuesday.

"Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!" Trump tweeted.

Trump's criticism of his former running mate came as Pence and other United States government officials were evacuated from the U.S. Capitol as protesters forced their way inside the building. At the time, the vice president was presiding over a joint session in which legislators were certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.

Several GOP legislators were set to object to the certification of results in at least three states, although the challenges would not have prevented the results from changing. However, President Trump and many of his supporters have criticized Pence and other Republican lawmakers who have not publicly rejected the results of the election.

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