WASHINGTON — Law enforcement and residents of the District of Columbia were on high alert Saturday as Donald J., who stormed the building on Jan. Far-right protesters were expected to gather at the foot of the Capitol to protest the jailing of Trump supporters. .
The Defense Department put 100 National Guard soldiers on standby. Capitol Police put up a fence around Capitol Hill. Even youth football games were canceled ahead of the “Justice for J6” rally, the first significant gathering of right-wing protesters at the Capitol since the building was attacked in January by Congress officially President Biden. Proving victory.
The rally is being organized by former Trump campaign operator Matt Brainard and his organization, Look Ahead America. The organization has demanded that the Justice Department drop charges against “nonviolent protesters” facing charges stemming from the January 6 riots. According to the document, the organizers have secured permits for 700 attendees.
Mr Brainard tells protesters to remain peaceful, “respectful and kind” to the hundreds of police officers who expect to meet him, and refrained from bringing signs, flags or clothing to promote a candidate or object to the 2020 election.
“What we are looking for is pure patriotism,” he said in a promotional video.
But the Department of Homeland Security has warned of possible violence.
“We are aware of recent online threats of violence referencing the planned rally, including online discussions encouraging violence the day before the rally,” department intelligence officials wrote in a report obtained by The New York Times. “
Officials are preparing for violence with “little warning”, although officials have not identified “any specific or credible plot connected to the incident,” according to the document.
The rally is the latest attempt to rewrite the history of the deadly mob attack on the Capitol, which sought to disrupt Congressional counts to formalize Mr Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, and prosecutors say police There were more than 1,000 attacks against officers. . Federal officials have issued several intelligence reports this year warning that the January 6 attack may not be an isolated incident and that domestic extremists have been encouraged by mob attacks and false narratives surrounding the 2020 election. .
Mr Trump issued a statement from his office on Thursday, which made no mention of the rally, but said, “Our hearts and minds are with those who were wronged in connection with the January 6 presidential election rigging.” way being persecuted.” He continued, “Justice will prevail!”
It is not at all clear whether the event will attract huge crowds. But in a measure of the lasting impact of the January 6 riots, Washington is prepared for crisis. Soccer games and other outdoor activities for children in nearby parks were cancelled. Taking time from a gloomy news conference in which the United States blamed a misguided airstrike in Kabul, Defense Department chief spokesman John F. Kirby said the Secretary of Defense approved a request for a contingent of unarmed National Guard troops. was given.
In addition to restoring the fence, Capitol Police has installed new security camera technology to better monitor a wide range of activity around the complex and streamlined its intelligence-sharing and planning procedures after the January attacks.