Capitol police were 'woefully' unprepared for breach: Rep. Burchett
Rep. Tim Burchett reflects on witnessing first hand the security breach at the U.S. Capitol.
The president of the U.S. Travel Association has condemned the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol building by Trump supporters on Wednesday, slamming the violent riots as destructive to the nation's democratic reputation and domestic peace.
Travel to the U.S. is a $2.6 trillion industry, and the association's president and CEO, Roger Dow, challenged Americans do to better for the sake of the country and the future.
An explosion caused by a police munition is seen while supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
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"We are profoundly heartbroken by the disturbing actions at the U.S. Capitol that are being viewed around the world. The behavior we are witnessing has no place in any peaceful democracy, much less in the country that is supposed to be the foremost example of democratic principles," Dow said in a statement issued Wednesday.
Supporters of President Trump climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The statement continued, "Working American families depend on a productive government to facilitate their livelihoods — especially in this time of unprecedented crisis and challenge — and the willful disruption of our democratic transition is an unacceptable act of harm that is felt not just in Washington, but in every corner of the country."
Supporters of President Trump are confronted by Capitol Police officers outside the Senate Chamber inside the Capitol on Jan. 6. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In close, Dow called for a "swift and peaceful end to the chaos" in the nation’s capital during this time.
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According to the association, travel supports 15.8 million American jobs and is the nation's top service export.
Washington, D.C., police said late Wednesday that the security breach at the Capitol resulted in four deaths – including a woman who had been shot – and at least 52 arrests. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the public emergency will be extended for the next 15 days, slated to run through President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
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Friends and foes of the United States have blasted the violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
Fox News’ David Aaro and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
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