'Clear the Capitol': Mike Pence's plea for help in Capitol riot revealed in Pentagon's document

The Capitol riots in the US have left many injured, physically and mentally, but more importantly, it also raised questions on the security of one of the most important buildings of the country.

Now, after a few months of the riots, a previously undisclosed document has revealed that the former VP, Mike Pence, tried to regain control of the Capitol during the riots.

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“Clear the Capitol,” Pence had said as the supporters of Donald Trump marched into the Capitol with the aim of destroying the federal property and interfere with the official ceremony declaring Joe Biden as the winner of the US election 2020.

The undisclosed document had been prepared by the officials of the Pentagon for internal use. It revealed new details of how the authorities tried to assert control and re-gain order.

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Chuck Schumer, the senate majority leader, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were also heard desperately seeking help and asking the army to deploy the national guard.

“We need help,” Schummer could be heard yelling more than an hour after the breach of the Capitol chambers.

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Similarly, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Mark Milley, also urged Pentagon leaders to “establish order”.

The document also noted that the former US President and the main man accused of the riot, Donald Trump, did not ask his supporters to call off the riot, which led to a slowed response from the military.

It also called out the law enforcement officers for not being able to control the riot and highlighted bureaucratic delays, intelligence missteps and tactical errors from the government led by Trump.

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The report, however, fails to draw a complete picture of how did the rioters get full access so quickly into the Capitol, which later led to the death of five people and several others injured.

As the rioters marched towards the Capitol around 2:10 pm, the authorities were struggling to control the situation even two hours later as  Capitol police chief, Steven Sund called Maj Gen William Walker, commander of the DC national guard to ask for at least 200 national guard members, and more if available.

Around 4:08 pm, according to the document, Pence demanded a deadline for securing the building, while holed into a safety bunker.

Trump broke his silence around 4:17 pm asking his supporters to “go home and go in peace”. Soon after, around 4:30 pm, military plans were finalised.

Pelosi and Schummer called for help to Gen Milley and other Pentagon officers around 4:40 pm in which the leaders “accuse[d] the national security apparatus of knowing that protesters planned to conduct an assault on the Capitol,” the Pentagon said.