ATLANTA – Law enforcement agencies are on high alert in the capitals of Georgia and South Carolina, as the FBI warns of possible armed protests before Joe Biden took office as president.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it is aware of planned protest reports and is monitoring the possibility, and the Georgia Department of Public Security remains alert to the danger.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is assuring residents that the state is ready to deal with any potential threat to the Capitol.
He says state leaders welcome peaceful protests, but after last week’s riot in Washington, they are getting ready for anything.
Although the threat level is low at the Georgia Capitol right now, “we are not taking anything for granted,” he said.
“I think you can see what happens when you do that, looking at the past week,” he said.
The Georgia Department of Public Security continues to monitor protest activity and assess security measures at the Capitol, Col. Chris Wright, the agency’s commissioner, told a news conference on Tuesday.
“We have a strategic plan to provide a safe and secure environment on Capitol,” he said.
“As always, we will continue to support those who wish to exercise their First Amendment rights peacefully. However, we will not tolerate any illegal behavior or threats of violence or damage to state property. We are prepared to respond appropriately, as we have always done in the past. “
Wright also emphasized that anyone who acts in violation of state laws will be dealt with quickly and in compliance.
At GBI, spokeswoman Nelly Miles said: “We are also in communication with our partners and will continue to do whatever is necessary to ensure safety and security.”
The Georgia National Guard is on standby at the State Capitol, while helping in Washington, DC
In South Carolina, the Department of Public Security increased security last week, according to Maj. Dwayne Brunson of the Bureau of Protection Services.
Brunson said his agency continues to work with state and local law enforcement agencies.
“We are staying in a state of greater security and surveillance and monitoring developments in the state and across the country,” he said.
South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Tommy Crosby confirmed that his agency had received an FBI alert about plans for “possible armed protests in state capitals across the country,” including Columbia.
“We are and have been in constant communication with our federal, state and local partners on this information and are prepared to provide any assistance needed as needed,” said Crosby.
Neither SLED nor the FBI provided specific details about the possible protests.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said the governor “has great confidence in South Carolina law enforcement agencies”.
Columbia City Police Chief Skip Holbrook issued a statement yesterday saying that a multi-agency security plan will be implemented. He says officials are also monitoring social media, as well as other sources, to track any planned protests.
Was the Capitol Siege a surprise?
The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies before the U.S. Capitol violation last week on the potential for violence driven by extremists, American officials said on Tuesday, contradicting previous statements that they were taken by surprise by the attack by supporters of President Donald Trump.
Almost a week after the turmoil, officials said they were combing mountains of evidence and promised to aggressively seek out those who perpetrated the blatant attack on the United States Capitol. While most of the charges filed so far have been misdemeanors, United States Attorney General Michael Sherwin said the Justice Department was considering opening charges of sedition against some of the protesters, effectively accusing them of trying to overthrow or defeat the government.
“This is just the beginning,” said Sherwin. “We will focus on the most significant charges as a deterrent because, regardless of whether it was just an invasion on Capitol Hill or whether someone planted a bomb, you will be charged and found.”
The Department of Justice has created a specialized strike force to examine the possibility of charges of sedition, which could lead to up to 20 years in prison. The authorities said they were using some of the same techniques used in international counterterrorism investigations, examining the flow of money and the movement of the defendants that led to the breach. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, asked that protesters be added to an air exclusion list, a tool most commonly associated with terrorism investigations.
Also in the news
- President Donald Trump took no responsibility for his participation in fomenting a violent insurrection at the United States Capitol last week, despite his comments encouraging supporters to march on the Capitol and praise them while they were still carrying out the attack.
- The New York Times reports that the Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell thinks President Donald Trump has committed impeachable crimes.
- Three House Democrats announced they tested positive for COVID-19, leading to concerns that last week’s Capitol uprising has also turned into an over-propagation event.
- YouTube has suspended the channel of U.S. President Donald Trump for at least a week amid concerns about the “continued potential for violence”.
From reports by WRDW / WAGT, WIS and The Associated Press