Senators react to shocking video of Capitol assault at Trump impeachment trial

Ten-minute video interspersed former president's call to 'fight like hell' as insurrection was underway

Alex Woodward

New York

Tuesday 09 February 2021 16:21 EST

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Trump impeachment trial opens with video of him telling supporters to march on Capitol and mob turning violent

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Democrats screened a harrowing 10-minute compilation of attacks on the US Capitol to open Donald Trump's second impeachment trial, airing inside the Senate chamber that was under assault just one month earlier.

The chamber's 100 senators watched from their desks as a montage of the 6 January insurrection followed Democratic impeachment manager Jamie Raskin's opening statement.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey placed his hands over his eyes during footage of a Capitol police officer firing through the doors of the House of Representatives as a mob pounded at the entrance, according to Politico reporter Andrew Desiderio.

Several senators rubbed their eyes as the video showed a mob crushing Washington DC police officer Daniel Hodges inside a doorway.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia reportedly shook his head during a clip of Mr Trump telling his supporters "we love you" as the insurrection was underway.

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, among the only senators who did not wear a mask during the proceedings, did not appear to watch the video as he wrote in a notebook.

Mitt Romney and Mitch McConnell reportedly sat "stock-still," according to TIME reporter Lissandra Villa.

The video opened with the former president's rally on 6 January, telling supporters to "fight like hell."

"And if you don't fight like hell, we won’t have a country anymore," he said.

His statements were interspersed with his supporters marching on the Capitol as a joint session of Congress convened inside with Vice President Mike Pence to certify the results of the 2020 election.

The video showed the former president's supporters chanting "stop the steal" and "traitor Pence" as they accused officers guarding the doors of treason, broke windows and doors, rifled through lawmakers' desks and attacked police.

Mr Trump was impeached last month in the House of Representatives on a count of incitement of insurrection following his comments and a months-long campaign to undermine the results of the election with false election fraud claims, baseless conspiracy theories and spurious legal challenges.

"You asked what a high crime and misdemeanor is under our constitution?" Congressman Raskin said on Tuesday following the video. "That’s a high crime and misdemeanor ... If that’s not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing."

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