Alan Chin
- ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore has earned praise for his sober report from inside the Capitol, which highlighted the violence and chaos behind Wednesday’s American tragedy.
- Moore is harassed by members of the pro-Trump mob at different points in the report, and his analysis, amassed more than 2 million views on Twitter.
- “This is exactly what was feared,” Moore says, “And it’s increasingly clear, this nation has not healed the wounds, it has simply amplified them.”
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
On a day historically reserved to certify the results of the presidential election, violent pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, wreaking havoc and intentionally disrupting the Senate in the most significant breach on the Capitol since 1812.
As lawmakers were evacuated and the mob occupied the building and grounds for four hours, news channels covered the insurrection around the clock and Twitter briefly restricted traffic due to the sheer volume of users plugged in. Possibly one of the most incredible artifacts of that reporting was ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore, who covered the violent day from inside the Capitol Building. Moore’s reporting offers a sobering account of how the rest of the world is interpreting the American political sphere.
Trump’s supporters were buoyed by a Tuesday morning speech by the president at the White House, during which he suggested several times that he would be marching with them to Capitol Hill. Trump instead returned to the White House while a mob of angry Trump supporters made the two-mile trek to the Capitol.
“For four years we have witnessed turmoil in America,” Moore began, as the pro-Trump mob streamed by, “but nothing quite like this.”
—ITV News (@itvnews) January 6, 2021
"Tear gas canisters were fired from the very stage where Joe Biden would be inaugurated," Moore continued. The camera then pans out to protesters advancing on and assaulting police amid a sea of smoke. Eventually the pro-Trump mob overpowers law enforcement and enters the Capitol.
"This is exactly what was feared," Moore said, "But in no way is this a surprise. It has been fueled by the President's rhetoric, and it's increasingly clear, this nation has not healed the wounds, it has simply amplified them."
After entering through the breached doors, Moore said that "for a few heady moments, they felt they had won a precious victory." The mob can be heard chanting "USA! USA!" and "Stop the steal!" as the group expands and marches on.
Once in the halls of Congress, Moore interviewed protesters and asked them about the point of their actions.
"Because they work for us! They can't say we didn't see what we saw!" one person shouted, "Because we were good, law-abiding citizens, the government did this to us, YOU GUYS did this to us! We are protesting for our freedom!" another angrily said.
Moore's crew then followed protesters breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, one of whom can be seen wearing a "Camp Auschwitz" sweater.
Moore interviews several more of the pro-Trump mob who insist they stormed the Capitol because "it's our country, it's our house!" before reporting on the armed standoff at the doors of the senate chamber. "The great constitutional showdown in Congress had to be suspended," Moore added.
Moore reports that "100 miles away president-elect Biden pleaded for the intervention of the one man who can halt this," alluding to President Trump. At the end of his report, Moore circled back to Trump's rally outside of the White House Wednesday morning.
"America's long journey as a stable democracy appears to be in genuine doubt," Moore said.