World leaders expressed alarm over a pro-Trump crowd breach of the U.S. Capitol, with the United Kingdom and Australia calling for a peaceful transfer of power and allies to Europe calling the protesters ’actions an attack on democracy.
“Shameful scenes in the United States Congress,” tweeted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building. While well known for his admiration for the outgoing president, the British leader said “now it is vital that there is a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.”
Another leader who has already expressed support for Trump, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, called the scenes “very distressing” and said he expected a peaceful transfer of power.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a radio interview that his government was “concerned.” “We are following the situation minute by minute as it develops,” he said. Japan, one of the U.S.’s most powerful allies in Asia, was “concerned” about the situation at the U.S. Capitol, government spokesman Katsunobu Kato told reporters.
His comments came after President-elect Joe Biden used a speech Wednesday to urge Americans to “think what the rest of the world is looking at” when they saw the chaotic scenes from Washington.
While some European lawmakers issued statements supporting US institutions and their democracy to overcome the turmoil, others further condemned the president and his supporters.
“The enemies of democracy will rejoice at these incredible images of Washington,” said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. “Inflammatory words pick up violent actions.” Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said “shame on those who have incited this attack on democracy”.
Carl Bildt, Co-Chair of the European Council on External Relations, said his “Honestly hope is that the evil man who takes responsibility will end up suffering the consequences. “
Other Trump-friendly leaders downplayed his comments.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace in Brasilia that he was on Trump’s side. Bolsonaro has been a staunch supporter of Trump, abandoning Brazil’s multilateral approach to foreign policy to fully align its country with the US
“You know I’m connected to Trump, you know my response,” he said, adding that “there have been many reports of fraud” in the U.S. election. Bolsonaro also said he believed the 2018 Brazilian election, which he won in a second round, was riddled with fraud. “It simply came to our notice then. 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 American leader and said in a tweet that the events in Washington were an “internal affair” and that power depended on the will of the voters.
Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Washington reminded its citizens living in the U.S. to intensify their security precautions. The Chinese government in Beijing did not immediately issue a direct response to crowd violence, but early state media news emphasized the chaos emanating from Washington.
– With the assistance of Shannon Sims, Walter Brandimarte and Gareth Allan
(Updates with comments from Brazilian and Polish leaders.)