World leaders raised the alarm about a pro-Trump crowd violation of the Capitol, with the UK and Australia calling for a peaceful transfer of power and allies in Europe calling the actions of the protesters an attack on democracy.
“Shameful scenes in the US Congress,” tweeted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building. Although known for his admiration for the outgoing president, the British leader said that “it is now vital that there is a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.”
Another leader who has previously expressed support for Trump, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, called the scenes “very poignant” and said he looks forward to a peaceful transfer of power.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a radio interview that his government was “concerned”. “We are monitoring the situation from minute to minute as it unfolds,” he said. Japan, one of the US’s most powerful allies in Asia, looked at the situation in the Capitol “with concern”, government spokesman Katsunobu Kato told reporters.
Their comments came after President-elect Joe Biden used a speech on Wednesday to urge Americans to “think what the rest of the world is looking at” as they watched the chaotic scenes from Washington.
While some European lawmakers issued statements supporting American institutions and their democracy to overcome the unrest, others condemned the president and his supporters more.
“The enemies of democracy will rejoice at these incredible images from Washington,” said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. “Incendiary words harvest violent acts.” Scotland’s prime minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said “shame on those who instigated this attack on democracy.”
Carl Bildt, Co-Chair of the European Council for External Relations, said his “sincerely hope is that the bad man who bears the responsibility will eventually bear the consequences. “
Other leaders who were on friendly terms with Trump downplayed their comments.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace in Brasilia that he was behind Trump. Bolsonaro was a staunch supporter of Trump and dropped Brazil’s multilateral approach to foreign policy to align his country completely with the US.
“You know I’m connected to Trump, you know my reaction,” he said, adding that there have been “many reports of fraud” in the US election. Bolsonaro also said he believed the 2018 Brazilian election – which he won in a second round – was riddled with fraud. “There was fraud on mine. I should have won in the first round, ”he said.
Polish President Andrzej Duda, who considers himself a political ally of Trump, refrained from criticizing the US leader, saying in a tweet that the events in Washington were an “internal affair” and that that power depended on the will of the United States. voters.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy is in Washington reminded US citizens to step up their security measures. The Chinese government in Beijing did not immediately respond to the mob violence, but the first news reports on state media highlighted the chaos emerging from Washington.
– With the help of Shannon Sims, Walter Brandimarte and Gareth Allan
(Updates with comments from Brazilian Polish leaders.)