The largest police union called on Trump to forcefully put an end to his supporters' Capitol siege

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The largest police union in the US, which endorsed Trump in September, called on the president to 'forcefully' put an end to his supporters' Capitol siege

By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz



Patrick Yoes, president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, called on President Donald Trump to urge the pro-Trump extremists to leave the US Capitol building.

Yoes said in an emailed statement that the actions in Washington, DC, demonstrate how critical law enforcement are to public safety.

"Without the protection afforded to us by our men and women in blue, our society cannot function," he wrote in the statement.

"We also call on President Trump to forcefully urge these demonstrators to stop their unlawful activity, to stand down, and to disperse," he added. "The actions of some of these demonstrators are endangering our elected officials, Congressional staff, ordinary citizens, and the law enforcement officers on the scene."

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a group of pro-Trump rioters breached the Capitol building, forcing the evacuation of Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress, their staff, and press.

The extremists stole and damaged government property, and members of law enforcement were injured.

It took four hours for law enforcement to secure the Capitol.

Yoes, who leads the largest police union in the nation, has been a staunch Trump supporter.

In September, the union endorsed Trump.

"President Trump has shown time after time that he supports our law enforcement officers and understands the issues our members face every day," said Yoes said at the time. "The FOP is proud to endorse a candidate who calls for law and order across our nation."

In his statement on Wednesday, Yoes called the scene at the Capitol building heartbreaking and commended the work of the US Capitol Police, DC Metro Police, US Park Police, and other responding agencies.

"Lawlessness is not how Americans affect change in our great country," the statement said.