TV reporter tells of fearing for her safety amid US chaos
As mayhem unfolded in Washington’s Capitol building yesterday Nine News US correspondent Amelia Adams was bringing the news to Australia live as it came to hand.
Protesters clashed with police and managed to breach several layers of security smashing their way into the chamber.
Adams told 6PR Breakfast it was “a particularly scary situation” and because of the huge amount of crowds, she lost phone reception.
“I didn’t have communication for most of the day, which is not easy when you are trying to do rolling TV and radio coverage.”
She described the moment police moved-in on rioters using batons and shields.
“We had been tear gassed, and we had been up at the doors of congress with people smashing it in,” she said.
“My security guard actually picked me up like a doll and moved me away from danger.”
Escalating @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/chlNURUVEj
— Amelia Adams (@AmeliaAdams9) January 6, 2021
Adams said she feared for her own safety, after realising a number of rioters were armed.
“The crowd was so hostile towards media, trump supporters hate the media,” she said.
“When you’ve got people around you yelling they want to start a civil war and start a revolution, you know that they are not about to stop and make sure you don’t get hurt.”
Despite the unprecedented violence against American democracy she said “not everyone was there to cause destruction.”
“It was a minority compared to the tens of thousands of people that were there.”
Five people were killed as a result of the riots, including a US Capitol police officer.
Click play to hear the full interview.
Click play to watch Amelia Adams full report on 9 News.
The thread barely holding America together today snapped.
Donald Trump supporters storming the Capitol building in Washington DC, where the final chapter on his Presidency was being written. @AmeliaAdams9 #9News pic.twitter.com/P6zLFfUJ8M
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) January 7, 2021