MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

The US Joint Chiefs of Staff condemn the deadly riot on Capitol defined as 'sedition and insurrection'

The document, signed by all eight members of Joint Chiefs of Staff including its chairman, Mark Milley, reiterates U.S. military “remains fully committed” to protecting and defending the Constitution.

The senior officers of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the deadly riot at the Capitol last week, saying it was a “direct assault” on the constitutional process and illegal, according to a memo sent to the entire military.

“We witnessed actions inside the Capitol building that were inconsistent with the rule of law. The rights of freedom of speech and assembly do not give anyone the right to resort to violence, sedition and insurrection,” according to the one-page undated memorandum.

The document, signed by all eight members of Joint Chiefs of Staff including its chairman, Army Gen. Mark Milley, reiterates to the force that the U.S. military will obey lawful orders from civilian leadership and “remains fully committed” to protecting and defending the Constitution.

“Any act to disrupt the constitutional process is not only against our traditions, values, and oath; it is against the law,” the memo reads.

The FBI said on Tuesday that it had opened more than 160 criminal cases as a result of the Capitol riot, and 70 people had been charged so far. The FBI is combing through more than 100,000 videos and other digital media of the attacks and is expecting hundreds of people to be identified and charged.

“Even if you left D.C., agents from our local field offices will be knocking on your door if we find out that you were part of the criminal activity at the Capitol,” Steven D'Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI's field office in Washington, said Tuesday afternoon during a news conference.

The march on the Capitol on Jan. 6 by some supporters of President Donald Trump followed his speech that reiterated claims of a stolen election to the crowd at a rally outside the White House. A mob of supporters attacked police and broke into the Capitol building and vandalized it, and sent congressional lawmakers into lockdown. The riot delayed Congress from the official certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, but lawmakers returned hours later and approved the election results.

The Joint Staff’s memo stated Biden will be the next president and commander in chief.

“On January 20, 2021, in accordance with the Constitution, confirmed by the states and the courts, and certified by Congress, President-elect Biden will be inaugurated and will become our 46th commander in chief,” memo reads.