National Post (National Edition)
FBI warns of further violence
U.S.-wide protests being planned
The FBI has warned of possible “armed protests” being planned for Washington, D.C. and at all 50 U.S. state capitals in the run-up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, a federal law enforcement source said on Monday.
Faced with threats of more violence from outgoing President Donald Trump's supporters, the National Guard was authorized to send up to 15,000 troops to Washington, and tourists were barred from visiting the Washington Monument until Jan. 24.
Biden's inaugural committee said on Monday the theme of the Jan. 20 ceremony will be “America United,” even as the country grapples with the fallout of last Wednesday's storming of the Capitol by Trump loyalists.
The law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FBI warnings were from Jan. 16 and at least through Jan. 20 for state capitals and for the three days leading up to Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C.
The Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Daniel Hokanson, told reporters he expected about 10,000 troops to be in Washington by Saturday and they would focus on supporting security, logistics, and communications.
He said the number could rise to 15,000 if requested by local authorities.
At least one lawmaker asked the Pentagon to do more.
Senator Chris Murphy, who said he was sending a letter to the acting secretary of defence on Monday, said it was unclear if the National Guard would be sufficient to protect the nation's capital and active duty troops may be needed also.
“I'm not afraid of taking the oath outside,” Biden told reporters in Newark, Del., referring to the traditional setting for the swearing-in ceremony on the Capitol building grounds. But he said it was critically important that people “who engaged in sedition and threatened people's lives, defaced public property, caused great damage” be held accountable.
The U.S. Secret Service will also begin carrying out its special security arrangements for the inauguration on Wednesday, almost a week earlier than originally planned, after last week's deadly violence on Capitol Hill and threats of more protests.
In a statement released on Monday, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said that “in light of events of the past week and the evolving security landscape leading up to the inauguration” he had instructed the Secret Service to begin security operations on Jan. 13, instead of Jan. 19. He added that federal, state, and local agencies “will continue to coordinate their plans and position resources for this important event.”
Wolf said later Monday that he's resigning after “recent events,” including court rulings saying he wasn't lawfully appointed to the post.
He'll be replaced in an acting capacity by Pete Gaynor, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Meanwhile, the Park Service said it would suspend tours of the Washington Monument, an obelisk honouring the country's first president, due to safety concerns from threats to disrupt the inauguration.
In a letter to Wolf made public on Sunday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called for a fresh approach to security after what she called last week's “unprecedented terrorist attack.”
Bowser asked Wolf to cancel public gathering permits through Jan. 24.
Some state capitals are also taking precautions.
The Michigan State Capitol Commission voted unanimously on Monday to ban the open carry of firearms inside the state Capitol building in Lansing, a move prompted by last week's deadly mob attack in Washington.
The commission, which manages the state Capitol and its grounds, pushed forward to Monday a meeting scheduled for Jan. 25 and voted 6-0 to enact the measure, said John Truscott, vice chairman of the commission.
“Given what's going on across the country, we moved up our meeting to consider the issue,” Truscott said in an email. “It's now done and will be implemented by Michigan State Police.”
Last week's assault on the Capitol, challenging the certification of Biden's victory in a November election, sent lawmakers into hiding and left five people dead.
Dozens of people have been charged in the violence and hundreds more cases are expected.
Trump said last week he would not attend the Biden ceremony, a decision the president-elect supported.