“Supporters of the current president see January 6, 2021 as the last opportunity to overturn the results of the presidential election,” says the memo, according to the Post. “This feeling of despair and disappointment can lead to yet another incentive to become violent. Unlike previous post-election protests, the targets of pro-Trump supporters are not necessarily counter-protesters as they were before, but Congress itself is the target on the 6th “.
CNN has not independently confirmed the report’s veracity. CNN contacted the Capitol Police, whose spokesman declined to comment to the Post about the content of the report or its influence on January 6 planning.
The January 3 report warns of thousands of belligerent protesters, incited by the president and joined by white supremacist and extremist groups, who are arriving in the country’s capital with members of Congress being the target of their anger, the newspaper reported.
It included striking features of Trump supporters who appeared to be preparing for intense combat on platforms frequented by white supremacists and alt-right members, asking participants to bring firearms, gas masks, bulletproof vests and other specialized equipment , reported the newspaper.
The intelligence report determined that the expected crowds, arms orders, proximity to the Capitol and promotion “by President Trump himself” could make the situation dangerous, according to the Post.
“The Stop the Steal protest in particular is not allowed, 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, militia members and others who actively promote violence, can lead to a situation that is significantly dangerous for the police and the general public.”
Two people familiar with the intelligence memo told the Post that intelligence division director Jack Donohue shared the report with all Capitol Police command staff. The intelligence report encouraged the Capitol Police chief to seek emergency activation from the National Guard and prompted the department to extend its perimeter barricades, a law enforcement official told the Post.
A law enforcement official told the Post that the memo’s internal perception was not that it was warning of a new threat with thousands of rioters attacking the Capitol, but of events similar to those the department had previously handled at Trump’s smaller rallies late last year past.
The Post reports that the intelligence memorandum was not widely disseminated with other branches of law enforcement, such as the FBI, or outside the Capitol police force.