South Coast residents who grew up in the US have condemned Wednesday's violence after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington.
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US President Donald Trump told supporters to go home after protestors breached barricades, forcing an evacuation. A woman was reportedly shot in the neck and the D.C. National Guard was activated.
A South Coast woman, who asked to be anonymous because she did not want to be associated with her home country, said it was good Trump told his supporters to go home, however he had been inciting people all along.
"Someone has been shot and that is really horrific," she said.
"It's just such a horrible, unequal society driven by guns.
"Biden has a lot of work to do to get the country back on track."
She said Australians took for granted walking down a shopping mall and not being shot.
"A fairer and more balanced society is needed, and gun control," she said.
Dual citizen Stacey Shepherd was saddened when she woke up to the news this morning.
The Broulee psychologist said violent events would inevitably erupt throughout January in her home country.
"It's very sad but in a lot of ways it's not surprising, which is unfortunate," Ms Shepherd said.
"Its been building for quite some time."
She feared what would happen on January 20: Joe Biden's inauguration.
"It's far from over," she said. "Trump is still making same claims. He's upping the ante."
She said there was a feeling of sadness amongst her American friends.
"I'm mostly friends with people who are more Biden supporters," she said.
"They're quite sad how it's going down in the Capitol building.
"The COVID situation - having tens of thousands of people grouped together - is not ideal.
"A lot of people are pretty horrified."
She hoped the violence would settle soon, but didn't believe it was over yet.
Mathew Hatcher, of Tomakin, said the US has become the "laughing stock of the world".
"It is extremely disappointing to see the democratic process put down like this," Mr Hatcher said.
"The rhetoric that has come out of the Whitehouse in the last four years has boiled over and brought those extremists out of the shadows.
"He (Trump) has done nothing but pour gasoline on fire since November 3," he said, referring to the election.
"It's now a circus."
Many of the 70 million Republican voters, including some of his contacts from his home state of Alabama, believed in party lines and didn't want to a Democrat in office.
However, they would not storm the Capitol.
"50 per cent want to see Trump in office but I don't think they want to see this kind of rioting," he said.
"Most Americans who live overseas are horrified at what they see."
What did Mr Hatcher hope for?: "Peaceful transition. For facts."
"They are so far gone for this many people to do what's happened," Mr Hatcher said.
"They (Trump supporters) truly believe what he's spewing. They'll believe anything he spews.
"I'd love to see peace come back and a bit of common sense."