As the Capitol building on Wednesday was placed on lockdown amid increasingly violent protests over the certification of electoral college votes, Ivanka Trump found herself in the midst of backlash over her response to the demonstration, calling those gathered "American Patriots." In a tweet shared Wednesday afternoon, Trump quoted her father, President Donald Trump's, tweet asking those on Capitol Hill to "stay peaceful."
The riot began Wednesday as members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate convened for a special joint session to tally electoral college votes and certify President-elect Joe Biden's win. In the days leading up to the joint session, the president had called for "wild" protests. On Wednesday, his son, Donald Trump Jr., incited the large crowd that had gathered during the "Save America March," which descended into a riot.
Early Wednesday afternoon, the large crowd, estimated to be in the thousands, tore down metal barricades at the bottom of the Capitol's steps and attempted to push past officers. At around 2:15 p.m. ET, the U.S. Capitol was placed on lockdown. As rioters invaded the building, many of them flying the Confederate flag, and chanting, "We want Trump!" both the House and Senate temporarily recessed for safety reasons. Lawmakers and staff were ordered to seek shelter, and U.S. Capitol Police sent out an alert warning of an "internal security threat." Images from inside the Capitol showed some demonstrators with weapons, another image showing a confederate flag flying.
As Americans watched on in shock, Trump's decision to label the mob "American Patriots" sparked fury, many condemning her words in the face of violence. Trump deleted the tweet shortly after posting it. Scroll down to see how people are reacting to her tweet.