Capitals across U.S. on edge ahead of feared armed protests

WASHINGTON — Ten days after rioters breached the U.S. Capitol in a deadly attack that stunned the world, cities across the U.S. began girding for a potential new wave of violent protests, erecting barriers and deploying thousands of National Guard troops.

The FBI warned police agencies of possible armed demonstrations outside all 50 state capitol buildings starting Saturday until President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, fuelled by supporters of President Donald Trump who believe his false claims of electoral fraud.

Washington, Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were among states that activated their National Guards to strengthen security.

In downtown Washington, which is locked down ahead of the inauguration, officers arrested a Virginia man who presented an “unauthorized inauguration credential” at a Capitol Police checkpoint late Friday and was found to have a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition, according to court papers

The man, identified as Wesley Allen Beeler, was driving a pickup truck with several firearm-related bumper stickers, including one that read, “If they come for your guns Give 'Em your bullets first.” He appeared briefly in court on Saturday and was released on promise to return to court.

The nationwide security scramble followed the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mix of extremists and Trump supporters, some of whom planned to kidnap members of Congress and called for the death of Vice President Mike Pence as he presided over the certification of Biden's November election victory.

Democratic leaders of four U.S. congressional committees said on Saturday they had opened a review of the events and had written to the FBI and other intelligence and security agencies to find out what was known about threats, whether information was shared and whether foreign influence played any role.

“This still-emerging story is one of astounding bravery by some U.S. Capitol Police and other officers; of staggering treachery by violent criminals; and of apparent and high-level failures — in particular, with respect to intelligence and security preparedness,” said the letter.

There were scattered demonstrations across the country on Saturday, but statehouses remained mostly quiet.