Domestic terrorismFBI Issues Alert about Extremists’ Plan to Disrupt Biden’s Inauguration
The FBI is warning state and local and law enforcement around the country of plans for violent action by right-wing extremists in the day leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden on 20 January. According to the FBI, various right-wing extremist groups are planning a series of protests in the capitals of all fifty states between 16 and 20 January, and in Washington, D.C. between the 17 and 20 of January.
The FBI is warning state and local and law enforcement around the country of plans for violent action by right-wing extremists in the day leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden on 20 January.
According to the FBI, various right-wing extremist groups are planning a series of protests in the capitals of all fifty states between 16 and 20 January, and in Washington, D.C. between the 17 and 20 of January.
The FBI document has been obtained by Yahoo News.
The FBI’s situational information report, issued 29 December 2020, was produced by the bureau’s Minneapolis field office, and it is based on information provided by what the bureau calls “collaborative sources” – the technical designation of informers.
The memo was issued before President Donald Trump, on 6 January, urged a mob of supporters to storm Capitol Hill in order to intimidate Republican lawmakers to vote to reject slates of electoral delegates from several states, thus overturning the election which Trump lost to Joe Biden.
Several of the insurrectionists had darker plans: police investigators say that several of those invading the Capitol on Trump’s urging carried plastic hand restraints with them, and that their plan was to find Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi and kill them.
The FBI report expresses strong concerns over the plans by Boogaloos, an extremist anti-government group, to hold rallies, attended by armed men, in cities across the country on 17 January.
The FBI’s report notes that “some followers indicated willingness to commit violence in support of their ideology, created contingency plans in the event violence occurred at the events, and identified law enforcement security measures and possible countermeasures.” The report describes evidence of credible threats related to rallies and demonstrations planned for 17 January at the state capitol buildings in Michigan and Minnesota.
The FBI, based on its sources, says that the violent anti-government Boogaloo Bois are hoping that their rallies will turn into a nationwide “armed march” on Capitol Hill and the capitals of all fifty states next Sunday.
Analysts say that it is not clear how many people will answer the Boogaloos’ call and take part in the different rallies, but that the 17 January series of events is likely the next major organized effort by extremist and violent groups following their last week’s response to Trump’s call for them to storm Congress and intimidate lawmakers into stealing the election on his behalf.
