Gun-control protest sparks chaotic scenes in US Congress

There have been chaotic scenes in the lower house of the US Congress as Democrats staged a sit-in to demand a vote on gun control legislation.

The protest comes in the wake of the recent shootings in Orlando, the deadliest in modern US history.

Republican Speaker Paul Ryan tried to regain control but was met with chants of "no bill, no break!"

The Republicans switched off the House TV cameras but Democrats continued to feed live pictures via their phones.

The transmissions, broadcast by the C-Span network, technically break House rules, but one Democrat representative, Scott Peters, who provided a feed via the Periscope app, said the sit-in was breaking rules anyway.

The Democrats' protest follows the gun attack on 12 June, when a man claiming allegiance to the so-called Islamic State group, Omar Mateen, killed 49 people at the Pulse club in Orlando, Florida.

The long game: Laura Bicker, BBC News, Washington
At the start, it seemed like a spontaneous moment of protest. But now the Democrats on the House floor are playing the long game. Sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and essential doughnuts have been shipped in to the growing number now occupying the House chamber. Hundreds who have been watching the action online have gathered outside chanting "do your job" in sympathy.

This is unprecedented. Years of frustration at being unable to pass stricter gun control measures have now culminated in political drama. But even if they were given a vote, it would most likely not pass. After all, 100 bills on gun reforms have gone before Congress in the last five years and none of them have been successful. So what will have changed?

This is an election year where Democrats are trying to wrestle back control of the House and the Senate. Perhaps emboldened by recent polls which show most Americans would prefer stricter laws on guns, Democratic representatives are making it clear to the electorate that if you want change, you know which way to vote in November.

By Wednesday evening, some 168 House Democrats — out of 188 — and 34 senators — out of 44 — were on the floor.
As the protest reached its 10th hour, Mr Ryan tried to restore control with a recess, and then a return to voting on other legislative business.

He banged his gavel and tried to ignore the outbursts but amid Democrat shouts of "Shame! Shame!" he left the podium.
Democrats began singing "We shall overcome" and held up the names of gun attack victims.

The floor of the House became chaotic, with Republicans and Democrats shouting at each other.

Some Democratic representatives brought in sleeping bags, pillow and blankets, others doughnuts for colleagues.
Outside Congress, several hundred gun-control advocates gathered to voice support for the Democrats, shouting "hold the floor" and "do your job".

A motion for a brief adjournment was passed at about 01:30 local time (05:30 GMT) and the House then resumed at 02:30, with the majority Republicans hoping to vote on a bill on the Zika virus and then adjourn fully to 5 July.

'Tears of grief'

The sit-in is being led by congressman John Lewis, a veteran of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

"What has this body done [to respond to the violence]?'' Mr Lewis asked, referring to several failed efforts in the past week to pass a gun control bill.

"Nothing. We have turned a deaf ear to the blood of innocents. We are blind to a crisis. Where is our courage? How many more mothers… and fathers need to shed tears of grief?"

President Barack Obama took to Twitter to thank Mr Lewis "for leading on gun violence where we need it most".
Mr Ryan dismissed the protest as a publicity stunt.

He told CNN he would not bring a gun control vote in the House of Representatives.

"They know that we will not bring a bill that takes away a person's constitutionally guaranteed rights without… due process," he said.

How the protest was streamed — Dave Lee, BBC technology reporter
Compared to the pressing issue at hand, discussing technology may seem trivial. But the way in which the outside world got to witness the Democrats' sit-in will surely be considered a defining point for live online streaming.

With cameras shut off, US public service broadcaster C-Span resorted to running pictures being broadcast on Periscope, the live-streaming app owned by Twitter. The pictures were being filmed not by some social media intern or techy onlooker, but by Democrat Scott Peters on his smartphone.

Other feeds sprang up via Facebook Live, a competing platform, while CNN even managed to use Apple's FaceTime feature to conduct a live interview with Democratic representative Steve Israel on the House floor (until he was politely asked to move into the corridor).

Some senators are pushing for a compromise, with top Democratic Senator Harry Reid supporting a Republican proposal.

Mr Reid said he supported new legislation proposed by Republican Senator Susan Collins that would stop gun sales to a limited number of people who are on some terrorism watch lists.

The bill is due to come before the Senate on Thursday. "Even though it may be a small step forward, at least it is a step forward," Mr Reid said.