Once the outer police lines fell to an aggressive mob, hundreds, if not thousands of people crowded onto the terraces of the Capitol Building, certainly exceeding its intended capacity. Soon there was little room to maneuver freely, and with the added height of the stadium-style seating erected for the pending inauguration, the weight of bodies pressed in from all sides including above. The political zeal that many felt as they charged up the steps was soon challenged by the physical exertion required simply to stay upright and alive.