New video shows US Capitol rioters rifling through Senators' desks and papers

Video report by ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore

Newly released video from inside Congress as it was stormed by rioters shows a splinter group of the mob entering the Senate chamber itself and rifling through politicians' desks and papers.

With no senators or security left inside as the building was evacuated, pro-Trump supporters had free-reign of the chamber.

It is not known if they were looking for specific information, but at the same time as talking in conspiratorial language they also appeared disorganised and even clueless, with one rioter asking: "Is this the Senate?"

An ITV News teams was amongst the first to follow protesters into the building, but the footage was obtained by The New Yorker.

Watch Robert Moore's report from inside the US Capitol on January 6

The ITV News team had been alongside Jacob Chansley, the man who had painted his face and was holding a spear as he prepared to storm the building. This new video shows him walking him and sitting down in the chair that minutes before, Vice-President Mike Pence had been sat in. He even left behind a scrawled note - "it's only a matter of time - justice is coming!"

While the rioters ransacked the Senate, the ITV News team was with the main group as they ransacked the Speaker's Office.

To avoid a repeat of scenes such as these, The Pentagon has authorised 25,000 troops to be deployed to Washington DC in what is some of the tightest security ever seen ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday.

However, it is not just Washington which fears violence, but security has been increased, although on a much smaller scale, across all US state capitals.

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