Capitol Police Warn Of New Attack On Congress : NPR
A section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds is seen at sunset Monday.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
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Jacquelyn Martin/AP
A section of fencing blocking the Capitol grounds is seen at sunset Monday.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The U.S. Capitol Police says that it is aware of a threat by an unidentified militia group to breach the Capitol complex on Thursday.
March 4 is a significant date for far-right conspiracy theorists who believe former President Donald Trump will return to power then. That was the original date for presidential inaugurations until 1937, after the adoption of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
The threat comes nearly two months after extremist Trump supporters broke into the Capitol — forcing lawmakers and the vice president to flee moments ahead of an angry mob.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Capitol Police, which was heavily criticized for its handling of the Jan. 6 insurrection, said it had “obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an unidentified militia group on Thursday, March 4.”
Capitol Police was “aware of and prepared for any potential threats towards members of Congress or towards the Capitol complex,” it said.
“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” adding that it was “working with our local, state, and federal partners to stop any threats to the Capitol.”
“We are taking the intelligence seriously. Due to the sensitive nature of this information, we cannot provide additional details at this time,” the statement said.
The statement was at odds with an advisory sent to members of Congress by the acting House sergeant-at-arms this week, saying that the Capitol Police had “no indication that groups will travel to Washington D.C. to protest or commit acts of violence,” The Associated Press reports.
