US Capitol Police are continuing to make preparations for a Sept. 18th rally in support of alleged rioters who stormed the Capitol during the electoral count on Jan. 6th – with plans to deploy the entire force amid ominous online warnings.
The rally, organized by a Donald Trump supporter, will put to the test a Capitol Police force that was battered on Jan. 6th, with Congress earmarking millions to harden security and beef up the force.
An internal Capitol Police memo warns of the potential for violence at the 'Justice for J6' rally, which is being organized in support of a skein of defendants who breached the Capitol. Many of them are charged with battering law enforcement officers or spraying them with bear spray.
The memo warns of an increase in violent online rhetoric and discussion about the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, the Donald Trump supporter who was shot by a Capitol Police officer just steps from the House floor as a mob tried to burst through a wooden door outside the House Speaker's Lobby, CNN reported.
Law enforcement is preparing for a Jan. 18th rally on behalf of accused January 6th rioters, after seeing an uptick in violent online rhetoric
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger is set to brief congressional leaders this week on preparations, CNBC reported, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi inviting the 'big four' congressional leaders to her Capitol suite – which one MAGA rioter famously occupied on Jan. 6th while aides hid behind a locked door.
The Metropolitan Police Department, which provided critical backup to Capitol Police who were being overrun on Jan. 6th, is expected to fully activate its force.
Pelosi would get into detailed security precautions being taken, saying at a Capitol press conference Wednesday: 'We intend to have the integrity of the Capitol be intact.'
She said officials would 'not necessarily' put back a Capitol fence that was taken down.
The rally is being organized by former Trump campaign aide. Matt Braynard. Braynard posted his own video of himself being interviews by CNN, where he called the gathering a 'peaceful protest for
