[ad_1]
WASHINGTON (AP) – US police said they have beefed up security in Washington after intelligence uncovered a possible plot to “violate the Capitol” on Thursday (March 4), when some Donald Trump supporters who believe in the conspiracy They predict that he will take office for another presidential term.
The threat comes nearly two months after Trump supporters, including supporters of QAnon, stormed the Capitol building and besieged Congress, in an attack that left five dead and shook the citadel of American democracy.
Some followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory believe that Trump was duped into a second term and that Thursday will mark his victorious return to power to take on a secret global cabal of Satanist liberals.
“We have obtained intelligence showing a possible plot to violate the Capitol by a group of militias identified on Thursday, March 4,” the United States Capitol Police said in a statement.
“We have already made significant security improvements to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” the police force said, adding that it is “taking intelligence seriously. “
Police have pointed to online conversations suggesting that some in the QAnon movement view Thursday as an inauguration day for Trump. Most of the presidents of the United States took office on March 4 until 1933, when the date was changed to January 20.
THE THREAT OF EXTREMISM REMOVES CONCERN
What was not clear is whether the threat remains a mere online conversation by extremists or whether it will be turned into action with groups heading to Washington to stir trouble.
On Monday, the acting sergeant at arms of the United States House of Representatives, Timothy Blodgett, reportedly sent a memorandum to members of Congress warning them of possible protests around March 4.
However, he said in the memorandum that the significance of the date “has reportedly waned among various groups in recent days” and that violent protests are no longer anticipated.
But the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security deemed the threat serious enough to issue a joint bulletin Tuesday night warning of possible riots on March 4-6, the Senior DHS official, Melissa Smislova.
READ: No Evidence The US Capitol Rioters Belong To The Antifa Movement, FBI Chief Wray Testifies
Several conspiracy theorists had anticipated that the January 6 riot would block Joe Biden’s ceremonial certification as the winner of the presidential election and pave the way for Trump to remain in power.
When that failed, QAnon supporters, who were spreading falsehoods and misinformation, began discussing March 4 as the next chance for Trump’s return.
There is no evidence to suggest that this will happen.
However, a business entity in Washington seems interested in capitalizing on the misinformation: the Trump International Hotel.
Rates for rooms at the Trump-owned property are listed on its website at $ 1,331 for Wednesday and Thursday nights each, nearly triple the published rate of $ 476 for each day from Saturday to Thursday. end of March.
The National Guard, which was deployed to the Capitol hours after the riots, continues to maintain its presence on the grounds as part of increased security.
The FBI says that cases of domestic extremism have risen substantially in recent years, particularly of groups or individuals defending white supremacy.
“We expect that racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, violent anti-government or anti-authoritarian extremists, and other domestic violent extremists citing partisan political grievances will most likely represent the greatest domestic terrorism threats in 2021 and likely 2022,” said the deputy director. of FBI operations. counterterrorism Jill Sanborn testified Wednesday.
