Mayor Cantrell is urging New Orleanians and all US citizens to “pray for our country” as protestors storm the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. in an apparent coup attempt.

Pray for our country. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/SBLNxHCbh1

— Mayor LaToya Cantrell (@mayorcantrell) January 6, 2021

According to the White House, National Guard troops and other federal protective services – including Department of Homeland Security units – are en route to thei Capitol to help end a violent occupation of the building by Trump supporters attempting to overturn the results of a free and fair election.

Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building after Vice President Mike Pence defied Trump, saying that he can’t reject the electoral college’s votes. Protesters broke through a police line at the Capitol building and stormed inside, resulting in an eventual armed standoff with Capitol police. One woman has been taken to the hospital after being shot in the chest and is listed as being in critial condition. A pipe bomb was also found at the Republican National Committe’s headquarters earlier today, and was safely detonated by police.

Sadly, Louisiana lawmakers, including Senator John Kennedy (R), Representative Steve Scalise, and Representative Clay Higgins previously encouraged the protestors by agreeing to object to the certification of electoral votes on the House floor today. Now, however, Higgins, at least has codemned the protests, saying:

“Violence and lawlessness are unacceptable. This must end now. This is not American. This very day, we were standing for American freedom, legally, peacefully, passionately, within the House of We the People, and within the parameters of our Constitution. I say to all violent aggressors… stand down.”

https://twitter.com/RepClayHiggins/status/1346918615782629377

Thus far, protestors storming the Capitol have been met with less police force than Black Lives Matter protestors across the country in the wake of police killings of unarmed Black men and women over the past several months.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.