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Online extremist chatter indicates state legislative houses and the United States Capitol are once again being targeted for attacks by alt-right extremists. As a result, governments around the country have ramped up security, erected un-scalable fencing, blocked roads, and more. The Pentagon approved 25,000 armed National Guard members’ deployment in the nation’s capital, reports CNN on Jan. 15, 2021.
President Trump’s announcement about having a peaceful transition of power after the January 6th insurrection did not quell extremists’ threats. He called for peace, but it appears this pro-Trump fringe fiercely believes the president’s election was stolen from him and he will not concede.
Terrorists warned they could launch an organized attack as early as January 16. However, tweets that resulted in Trump’s permanent Twitter suspension repeatedly mention January 17. The FBI received information about extremists recruiting support for storming government buildings in every state the day of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
There is plenty of reason for alarm as extremist groups like the Boogaloo Bois, Patriot Prayer, Proud Boys, QAnon, and homegrown terrorist militia have made good on previous threats.
On January 6, Washington D.C. was overrun by blood-thirsty insurrectionists. Perhaps if the officials who had warnings had responded differently, the Capitol building and Democracy would not bear the resulting scars.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser asked people to avoid the city during the inauguration. She expressed her concern about the potential of additional violence leading up to January 20:
If I’m scared of anything, it’s for our democracy, because we have very extreme factions in our country that are armed and dangerous.
Preparing for the worst, the National Mall is shut down. Reportedly, there a greater military presence in Washington D.C. than in the Middle East. Seeing guardsmen in place, knowing they are authorized to use lethal force, and hearing the Secret Service coordinating the interagency security effort, maybe the extremists will stand down.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
CNN: Pentagon authorizes 25,000 National Guard members for inauguration; Oren Liebermann, Caroline Kelly, Evan Perez, and Geneva Sands
Politico: Online extremists are ignoring Trump’s call for calm; Burgess Everett and Andrew Desiderio
AP: FBI tracking ‘extensive’ online chatter about armed protests; Eric Tucker
ABC News: Armed protests being planned at all 50 state capitols, FBI bulletin says; Arron Katersky and Celia Darrough
Featured and Top Image by Mike Vrabel Courtesy of National Guard’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Anthony Crider’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
