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“Supporters of the current president see January 6, 2021 as the last opportunity to overturn the results of the presidential election,” the memo read, according to the Post. “This sense of hopelessness and disappointment can lead to greater incitement to turn violent. Unlike previous post-election protests, the targets of pro-Trump supporters are not necessarily the counter-protesters as they once were, but rather Congress itself. the target on the 6th. “
CNN has not independently confirmed the veracity of the report. CNN contacted Capitol Police, whose spokesperson declined to comment to the Post on the contents of the report or its influence on the Jan.6 planning.
The Jan.3 report warns of thousands of belligerent rioters, incited by the president and joined by members of white supremacists and extremist groups, descending into the nation’s capital with members of Congress the targets of their anger, a reported the newspaper.
It included striking characterizations of Trump supporters appearing to prepare for intense fighting on platforms frequented by white supremacists and members of the alt-right, calling on participants to bring guns, gas masks , bulletproof vests and other specialized equipment, the newspaper reported.
The intelligence report determined that the expected crowds, calls for armaments, proximity to the Capitol and promotion “by President Trump himself” could make this a dangerous situation, according to the Post.
“The Stop the Steal protest in particular is unlicensed, but several high profile speakers, including members of Congress, are expected to speak at the event,” the memo said, according to the newspaper. “This, combined with Stop the Steal’s propensity to attract white supremacists, militiamen and others who actively promote violence, can lead to a very dangerous situation for law enforcement and the general public.”
Two people familiar with the intelligence memo told the Post that the director of the intelligence division, Jack Donohue, shared the report with all staff in the Capitol Police Command. The intelligence report prompted the Capitol Police chief to continue the emergency activation of the National Guard and prompted the department to expand its barricade perimeter, a law enforcement official told the Post. .
A law enforcement official told the Post that the internal perception of the memo was not that it warned of a new threat with thousands of rioters attacking the Capitol, but rather events similar to those that the department had previously dealt with in small late Trump gatherings. Last year.
The Post reports that the intelligence memo is not known to have been widely disseminated with other branches of law enforcement, such as the FBI, or outside of the Capitol Police.
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