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After the dramatic assault on Congress … an American newspaper: The number of protesters exceeded the expectations of the police
Washington – Quds Press Service
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Thursday 07 January 2021-07: 28 AM
The assault on the United States Congress raised questions about the readiness of the Capitol Police (Congress) to deal with the security threats it faces.
According to the American Wall Street Journal, federal authorities planned to deal with the protests outside the headquarters of Congress with a relatively small security presence, which resulted in supporters of President Donald Trump easily breaking in.
On Thursday, the Washington Metropolitan Police announced that four people were killed during an assault on the Capitol by pro-Trump protesters.
And Washington Police Chief Robert Conte said among the dead was a woman who was shot by officers, while three others died of “medical emergencies.”
Police said Trump supporters dumped “irritating chemicals” during the assault on Capitol Hill, which lasted for hours before forces were able to remove protesters protesting against the congressional approval session of the presidential election results, which Democrat Joe Biden won.
The newspaper quoted a retired FBI executive, David Gomez, as saying that the Capitol Police “were not prepared for the sheer volume of protesters,” noting that other federal law enforcement agencies have been slow to respond.
He added: “There was a possibility that it would be a large protest, but it would not cross the barriers. Once the protesters did, the law enforcement officers were confused and could not respond quickly.”
Earlier, Department of Defense officials said they expected 350 National Guard members in the capital to be enough to support the Washington Police during these protests.
After storming the building, the Defense Ministry announced that it had summoned another 1,100 National Guard personnel to the capital, but it was unclear whether they would be deployed to the Capitol or anywhere else in the area.
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said: “We have fully activated the National Guard in the capital to assist local and federal law enforcement as they work to peacefully address the situation,” adding, “We stand ready to provide support. additional as needed and at the request of local authorities. “
On Wednesday night, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of the Democratic Party said his state would send 1,000 National Guard troops to the capital.
“New York stands ready to help ensure that the will of the American people is carried out safely,” he wrote on Twitter.
Notably, the United States Capitol Police is a federal law enforcement agency that specializes in protecting members of Congress and their buildings, as it has 1,900 officers, according to its website.
The assault on the Capitol was condemned by prominent US personalities, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as complaints from Western allies of the United States.
Acting Attorney General Geoffrey Rosen also condemned the events at the Capitol building, describing them as “an intolerable attack on an institution essential to our democracy,” noting that the Justice Department had dispatched FBI agents to assist the Capitol Police. .
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