UPDATE (Jan. 6, 2021, 2:40 p.m.): Demonstrators waving Trump flags rushed up the steps of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday as crowds of President Donald Trump’s supporters descended on Washington, D.C. to protest election results while Congress met to count Electoral College votes.
All U.S. Capitol Complex buildings are locked down, with no entry or exit permitted. Read the latest here.
This article is no longer being updated. Earlier information:
The Cannon House Office Building and at least one building of the Library of Congress have been evacuated Wednesday, congressional staff confirmed to NBC4.
The reason for the evacuations was not immediately clear. However, protests in the area have drawn crowds of President Donald Trump's supporters as Congress meets to count the Electoral College votes received by President-elect Joe Biden.
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Pro-Trump protesters attempted to storm barricades set up outside the U.S. Capitol complex and law enforcement were seen trying to push them back, NBC News reported.
An alert from U.S. Capitol Police told occupants of Cannon to remain calm and move "in a safe manner" to the exits due to "police activity."
Congressional staffers in the Longworth House Office Building voluntarily gathered in the building’s basement but had not been ordered to evacuate the building, one staffer said.
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There are underground tunnels that connect every building on Capitol Hill. Staff can move between buildings indoors.
The Library of Congress is located adjacent to the U.S. Capitol complex.
Stay with NBC Washington for more on this developing story.
