Emergency Declared In DC Amid Warning About Nationwide Armed Protests

Amid FBI warning about possible armed protests across the United States in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, President Donald Trump declared a State of Emergency in the District of Columbia.

Trump declared on Monday that an emergency exists in the District of Columbia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement the District’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the Presidential Inauguration.

The state of emergency came into effect on Monday, and will continue in force until January 24. Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 59th President of the United States on January 20.

“The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the District of Columbia,” the White House said.

Trump followers’ failed violent attempt to block the Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s election victory on January 6 resulted in the death of five people. Several properties of the Congress were damaged and a laptop of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was stolen in the rampage at the Capitol.

Security has been tightened for the White House following the incident, and the Biden team has urged people to avoid attending the event because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Multiple US media outlets have published an internal bulletin that they claim to have obtained from FBI.

“Armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20 January, and at the US Capitol from 17 January through 20 January,” the FBI bulletin states. It also suggests there are threats of an “uprising” if Trump is removed via the 25th Amendment before Inauguration Day.

“On 8 January, the FBI received information on an identified group calling for others to join them in ‘storming’ state, local and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings in the event POTUS is removed as President prior to Inauguration Day. This identified group is also planning to ‘storm’ government offices including in the District of Columbia and in every state, regardless of whether the states certified electoral votes for Biden or Trump, on 20 January,” the bulletin adds.

The FBI is also tracking reports of various threats to harm Biden, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and Speaker Pelosi ahead of the presidential inauguration.

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