*Monaco’s Prince Albert has issued a statement in which he shares his disbelief over the violent riots that erupted at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
“This is not the America I know — the one I partially grew up in, went to school in. President Trump has to be held accountable,” the royal, 62, tells PEOPLE.
“I was up at our country house, Roc Agel, so as soon as I put on the news before going to bed, there it was — live from the streets of Washington,” he says. “It’s just unbelievable. I’m still in shock, but at the same time, I’m not totally surprised because, unfortunately, this is where we were heading.”
“My immediate reaction was shock. My wife [Princess Charlene] had already retired and I told her afterward. It was shock and disbelief and then it kind of quickly turned into disgust, really,” Prince Albert continues. “But also anger about how this could have happened and how this was fueled by President Trump.”
READ MORE: Former Presidents Obama, George W. Bush Address Violent Chaos at U.S. Capitol
At least 5 people are dead — including a Capitol police officer and one woman who was shot — after supporters of Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol amid the counting of the electoral votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory on Jan. 6.
The president had urged his supporters to fight against the event by marching to the Capitol, and they responded to his call to action. An armed standoff with police erupted at the House front door Wednesday afternoon.
“I felt months ago that there would be big problems whichever way the election went,” said Prince Albert. “It is a very somber moment, not only in the U.S. but in contemporary world history: a president still in office who has, directly and indirectly, spurred a revolt like this. I agree with those who have said that President Trump has to be held accountable for this.”
Prince Albert also noted the long road ahead for America to bounceback from this week’s tragic events. A stain on Trump’s legacy.
“It’s going to be a very long process to fix this,” he says. “It will, I fear, have to go on well beyond President Biden’s mandate. It’s probably the work of a generation to try to return to some basic values of decency and restore respect for the rules which govern any law-abiding country.”
Do you believe Trump should be held accountable for the deadly Capitol riots? Let us know in the comments.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
