After the US Capitol rampage, FBI warns of armed protests ahead of inauguration

WASHINGTON: The FBI has warned of possible armed protests being planned for Washington, DC, and at all 50 US state capital cities in the run-up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan 20, a federal law enforcement source said on Monday (Jan 11).

Faced with threats of move violence from supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump, the National Guard was authorised to send up to 15,000 troops to Washington, and tourists were barred from visiting the Washington Monument.

Biden's inaugural committee said on Monday the theme of the Jan 20 ceremony will be "America United", even as the country grapples with the fallout of last Wednesday's storming of the Capitol by Trump loyalists.

The law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FBI warnings were from Jan 16 and at least through Jan 20 for state capitals and for the three days leading up to Inauguration Day in Washington DC.

The Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Daniel Hokanson, told reporters he expected about 10,000 troops to be in Washington by Saturday and they would focus on supporting security, logistics, and communications.

He said the number could rise to 15,000 if requested by local authorities.

READ: Chief of US Capitol Police to resign after protesters stormed building, say reports

At least one lawmaker asked the Pentagon to do more.

Senator Chris Murphy, who said he was sending a letter to the acting secretary of defense on Monday, said it was unclear if the National Guard would be sufficient to protect the nation's capital and active duty troops may be needed also.

WASHINGTON MONUMENT CLOSED TO TOURS

The Park Service said it would suspend tours of the Washington Monument, an obelisk honouring the country's first president, through Jan 24 due to safety concerns from threats to disrupt the inauguration.

In a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf made public on Sunday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser called for a fresh approach to security after what she called last week's "unprecedented terrorist attack".

Bowser asked Wolf to cancel public gathering permits through Jan 24.

The assault on the Capitol, challenging the certification of Biden's victory in a November election, sent lawmakers into hiding and left five people dead. Dozens of peoplehave been charged in the violence and hundreds more cases are expected.

READ: FBI offers reward for details of those behind Washington pipe bombs

Despite evidence of a fair election, Trump has challenged the validity of Biden's substantial victory. Democrats in Congress began a push on Monday to force Trump from office, introducing an article of impeachment that accuses him of inciting insurrection.

The presidential inaugural committee said in a statement on Monday its theme "reflects the beginning of a new national journey that restores the soul of America," echoing Biden's campaign pledge to heal the country's divisions.

The committee has told Americans not to travel to the inauguration, and said Washington's National Mall will be covered with 191,500 flags of different sizes, to represent the missing crowds.

A US presidential inauguration traditionally draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the US capital, but the ceremonies have been scaled back dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump said last week he would not attend the ceremony, a decision the president-elect supported.