US House cancels session after cops warn of possible threat to Capitol
WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives cancelled its planned on Thursday session, after Capitol police warned on Wednesday that a militia group could be plotting to breach the building that was subjected to a deadly attack on January 6.
The House had been scheduled to debate and vote on a police reform bill, but a Democratic aide said plans changed due in part to the police warning, based on intelligence that “an identified militia group” could present a security threat.
The Senate will convene as planned to begin debating President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill on Thursday.
Authorities have said that right-wing extremists were among a mob of supporters of former president Donald Trump that stormed the Capitol on January 6, interrupting the formal certification of Biden’s election victory.
Some right-wing conspiracy theorists have falsely claimed that Trump, defeated by Biden in the November 3 election, will be sworn in for a second term on Thursday.
The justice department has charged more than 300 people with taking part in the January Capitol siege, in which five people, including a police officer were killed. Among those arrested were members of the right-wing groups called the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and Proud Boys. The Oath Keepers and Three Percenters are armed militia groups.
“The United States Capitol police department is aware of and prepared for any potential threats towards members of Congress or towards the Capitol complex,” it said in its statement.
It said it is working with local, state and federal agencies “to stop any threats to the Capitol,” adding, “We are taking the intelligence seriously.” It did not disclose the nature of the intelligence.
The statement noted that police have made “significant security upgrades” at the Capitol, home to the US House of Representatives and Senate.
On Tuesday, acting House sergeant at arms Timothy Blodgett notified Congress members of a possible security threat spanning Thursday through Saturday. It referred to “potential protests and demonstration activity surrounding what some have described as the ‘true Inauguration Day.’”
Since the January 6 storming of the Capitol, National Guard troops have been dispatched to the complex and tall fencing has been erected to extend the security perimeter. Blodgett told lawmakers the Capitol police department has “enhanced” its security posture.