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There were chaotic scenes in the lower house of the US Congress today as Democrats staged an extraordinary round-the-clock sit-in to demand a vote on gun control bills.

As Republican Speaker Paul Ryan tried to regain control he was met with chants of “no bill, no break”.

The protest comes in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shootings - the worst terror attack in the US since 9/11.

As unruly scenes played out, the Republicans switched off the House TV cameras but Democrats continued to feed live pictures via their phones.

Gun control bill sit-in 10 show all Gun control bill sit-in 1/10 House Speaker Paul Ryan stands at the podium as he brings the House into session in Washington House Television via AP 2/10 Democrat members of Congress, including Rep John Lewis, longtime civil rights leader, leading a Democratic sit-in on the House floor over gun control Rex 3/10 Democrat members of Congress, including Rep. John Lewis, middle, and Rep. Joe Courtney, left, participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures Rep. John Yarmuth via AP 4/10 House Speaker Paul Ryan gavels the House into session House Television via AP 5/10 Members of Congress during the sit-in protest AFP/Getty Images 6/10 Protesters chant on East Front of the Capitol to show solidarity with House Democrats' sit-in on the floor calling on Republicans to allow votes on gun violence legislation Rex 7/10 Democrat members of Congress, including, front row, from left, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures Rep. Chellie Pingree via AP 8/10 Charles Bolden, staff assistant of Rep. Robin Kelly, holds a poster with pictures of gun violence victims from Chicago as he walks towards the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington Alex Wong/Getty Images 9/10 Rep. Joe Kennedy III applauds supporters of House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the House Chamber outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington Pete Marovich/Getty Images 10/10 Supporters of House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the House Chamber shout encouragement from outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington Pete Marovich/Getty Images 1/10 House Speaker Paul Ryan stands at the podium as he brings the House into session in Washington House Television via AP 2/10 Democrat members of Congress, including Rep John Lewis, longtime civil rights leader, leading a Democratic sit-in on the House floor over gun control Rex 3/10 Democrat members of Congress, including Rep. John Lewis, middle, and Rep. Joe Courtney, left, participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures Rep. John Yarmuth via AP 4/10 House Speaker Paul Ryan gavels the House into session House Television via AP 5/10 Members of Congress during the sit-in protest AFP/Getty Images 6/10 Protesters chant on East Front of the Capitol to show solidarity with House Democrats' sit-in on the floor calling on Republicans to allow votes on gun violence legislation Rex 7/10 Democrat members of Congress, including, front row, from left, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures Rep. Chellie Pingree via AP 8/10 Charles Bolden, staff assistant of Rep. Robin Kelly, holds a poster with pictures of gun violence victims from Chicago as he walks towards the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington Alex Wong/Getty Images 9/10 Rep. Joe Kennedy III applauds supporters of House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the House Chamber outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington Pete Marovich/Getty Images 10/10 Supporters of House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the House Chamber shout encouragement from outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington Pete Marovich/Getty Images

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 sit-in was into its 10th hour when Democrats began camping out on the house floor with sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and doughnuts that were shipped in.

When Mr Ryan stepped to the podium to take back control and hold votes on routine business, angry Democrats shouted and waved pieces of paper with the names of gun victims.

Mr Ryan attempted to ignore the outbursts and announce the business of the day, pounding down his gavel over shouting, “shame, shame, shame”.

Democrats shouted back before singing “We Shall Overcome,” still holding up the names of gun victims.

Even after the House adjourned around 3.15am local time, Democrats stayed on the House floor. Representative Maxine Waters of California said she was ready to stay “until Hell freezes over.”

Orlando shooting victims 49 show all Orlando shooting victims 1/49 Stanley Almodovar III Facebook 2/49 Edward Sotomayor Jr Facebook 3/49 Luis S Vielma 4/49 Amanda Alvear Facebook/AP 5/49 Luis Daniel Conde Facebook/AP 6/49 Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera Facebook/Reuters 7/49 Juan Ramon Guerrero 8/49 Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 9/49 Mercedez Marisol Flores Facebook/AP 10/49 Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 Facebook 11/49 Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez Facebook/AP 12/49 Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez Facebook/AP 13/49 Frank Hernandez Facebook/AP 14/49 Angel L. Candelario-Padro Facebook/AP 15/49 Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala Facebook/AP 16/49 Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega Facebook/AP 17/49 Tevin Eugene Crosby Facebook/AP 18/49 Enrique L. Rios, Jr Facebook/AP 19/49 Kimberly Morris Facebook/AP 20/49 Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon Facebook/AP 21/49 Jean Carlos Mendez Perez Facebook 22/49 Jason Benjamin Josaphat Facebook/AP 23/49 Antonio Davon Brown Facebook/AP 24/49 Oscar A Aracena-Montero Facebook/AP 25/49 Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosad Facebook/AP 26/49 Leroy Valentin Fernandez Facebook 27/49 Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez Facebook/AP 28/49 Eddie Justice Facebook 29/49 Christopher Andrew Leinonen Facebook/AP 30/49 Shane Evan Tomlinson Facebook/AP 31/49 Darryl Roman Burt II Facebook/AP 32/49 Martin Benitez Torres Facebook/AP 33/49 Juan P. Rivera Velazquez Facebook/AP 34/49 Javier Jorge-Reyes Facebook/AP 35/49 Miguel Angel Honorato Jose Honorato/AP 36/49 Brenda Lee Marquez McCool Facebook 37/49 Anthony Luis Laureano Disla Anthony Laureano/Reuters 38/49 Deonka Drayton worked at Pulse Facebook 39/49 Akyra Murray Facebook 40/49 Jean C. Nives Rodriguez Facebook 41/49 Joel Rayon Paniagua Facebook 42/49 Alejandro Barrios Martinez Facebook 43/49 Juan Chevez-Martinez Facebook 44/49 Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan Facebook/AP 45/49 Jerald Arthur Wright Facebook/AP 46/49 Paul Terrell Henry Facebook/AP 47/49 Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz Facebook 48/49 Geraldo Ortiz-Jimenez Facebook 49/49 Composite of Orlando shooting victims. AP 1/49 Stanley Almodovar III Facebook 2/49 Edward Sotomayor Jr Facebook 3/49 Luis S Vielma 4/49 Amanda Alvear Facebook/AP 5/49 Luis Daniel Conde Facebook/AP 6/49 Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera Facebook/Reuters 7/49 Juan Ramon Guerrero 8/49 Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 9/49 Mercedez Marisol Flores Facebook/AP 10/49 Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 Facebook 11/49 Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez Facebook/AP 12/49 Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez Facebook/AP 13/49 Frank Hernandez Facebook/AP 14/49 Angel L. Candelario-Padro Facebook/AP 15/49 Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala Facebook/AP 16/49 Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega Facebook/AP 17/49 Tevin Eugene Crosby Facebook/AP 18/49 Enrique L. Rios, Jr Facebook/AP 19/49 Kimberly Morris Facebook/AP 20/49 Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon Facebook/AP 21/49 Jean Carlos Mendez Perez Facebook 22/49 Jason Benjamin Josaphat Facebook/AP 23/49 Antonio Davon Brown Facebook/AP 24/49 Oscar A Aracena-Montero Facebook/AP 25/49 Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosad Facebook/AP 26/49 Leroy Valentin Fernandez Facebook 27/49 Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez Facebook/AP 28/49 Eddie Justice Facebook 29/49 Christopher Andrew Leinonen Facebook/AP 30/49 Shane Evan Tomlinson Facebook/AP 31/49 Darryl Roman Burt II Facebook/AP 32/49 Martin Benitez Torres Facebook/AP 33/49 Juan P. Rivera Velazquez Facebook/AP 34/49 Javier Jorge-Reyes Facebook/AP 35/49 Miguel Angel Honorato Jose Honorato/AP 36/49 Brenda Lee Marquez McCool Facebook 37/49 Anthony Luis Laureano Disla Anthony Laureano/Reuters 38/49 Deonka Drayton worked at Pulse Facebook 39/49 Akyra Murray Facebook 40/49 Jean C. Nives Rodriguez Facebook 41/49 Joel Rayon Paniagua Facebook 42/49 Alejandro Barrios Martinez Facebook 43/49 Juan Chevez-Martinez Facebook 44/49 Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan Facebook/AP 45/49 Jerald Arthur Wright Facebook/AP 46/49 Paul Terrell Henry Facebook/AP 47/49 Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz Facebook 48/49 Geraldo Ortiz-Jimenez Facebook 49/49 Composite of Orlando shooting victims. AP

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said: “Just because they cut and run in the dark of night, just because they have left doesn’t mean we are taking no for an answer.

“We won’t stop until the job is done.”

In the upper house Senators are pushing for a compromise with new legislation that would stop gun sales to a limited number of people who are on some terrorism watch lists.

Mr Ryan has said he will 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.”