UN heads 'saddened', 'deeply concerned' by US Capitol violence
AFP
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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and president of the General Assembly Volkan Bozkir both condemned Wednesday's violence at the US Capitol.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a joint press conference with the German Foreign Minister after a meeting in Berlin, on December 17, 2020. (Photo: AFP)

Guterres, according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, was "saddened" by the breach of the US Capitol building by supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump.

"In such circumstances, it is important that political leaders impress on their followers the need to refrain from violence, as well as to respect democratic processes and the rule of law," Dujarric said in a statement.

Former Turkish minister Bozkir pointed out the particular relationship between the UN and the United States as the organization's host country.

Police watch as protesters surround the US Capitol Building and begin to storm it after a rally in support of US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021. (Photo: AFP)

"Deeply concerned by violence at the Capitol in #WashingtonDC and the interruption of the democratic process in the UN's host country," he tweeted.

Another tweet from Bozkir's office's official account repeated the sentiment.

"The US is one of the world's major democracies," it said. "I believe that peace & respect for democratic processes will prevail in our host country at this critical time."