DHS detects proud boys ahead of Capitol riot

The day before a crowd of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Homeland Security officials warned that “domestic extremists” would attend the January 6 pro-Trump rallies. Authorities actively monitored right-wing groups such as the Proud Boys. as well as Facebook events with thousands of confirmed contestants, some of whom explicitly outlined their plans to march to Congress and rally at the Capitol.

Despite this, leaders insisted there was no intelligence that federal facilities would be targeted, according to a cache of internal documents from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protection Service.

“There is no information / information indicating that FPS-protected federal facilities will be targeted this week, but a number of federal facilities are located in the expected protest area and we will be prepared to respond if necessary,” Richard “Kris” Cline, FPS’s deputy director, said in an email Jan. 5 with the subject line: “preparation for protest.”

The details in the 81 pages of edited documents, which include emails, photos and intelligence bulletins, shed more light on how closely federal security officials watched the activities of extremist groups and Trump supporters from across the U.S. in the days leading up to the deadly revolt. Although police at the U.S. Capitol were unprepared for the violent mob, documents showed that Department of Homeland Security officials had information that tens of thousands of Trump supporters would gather in the National Mall and specifically focused on the Proud Boys and even the hotel would mention where they stayed. In DHS communications, officials shared dozens of Facebook events, including some from militant groups, and wrote that they expected groups to march to the Capitol.

Under new leadership, DHS promises to work with local law enforcement and other agencies to improve its ability to deal with domestic extremist threats in the future.

‘The lessons learned from the violent and illegal events of January 6 will help improve our ability to stop future acts of violence. “DHS is participating in investigations into the response to the attack and is investigating internally how the sharing of threat information can best be improved,” a spokesman for BuzzFeed News said. “Under the leadership of Secretary Mayorkas, addressing domestic violent extremism is a top priority for DHS.”

BuzzFeed News obtained the documents at the request of the Freedom of Information Act. The agency withheld certain information from the records with reference to a number of exemptions, including ongoing investigations into law enforcement, privacy and possible threats to individuals, such as law enforcement personnel or informants, if the details are disclosed. The Washington Post also reported on the documents on Wednesday.

The Federal Protection Service is a law enforcement and security agency within DHS that protects 9,500 federal properties across the country, but not the Capitol building itself. The once-little-known agency, which has about 1,300 full-time staff and 13,000 contracted security guards, received national attention and shouting after it sent officers to Portland, Oregon, during the height of this summer’s race protests against then-President Donald. Trump’s direction. Its director, L. Eric Patterson, also took the unusual step of giving officials from other agencies within DHS the power to join the protest response without proper training, according to a critical report from the Inspector General’s office. , causing chaos and violence they collided with protesters, injuring several and using unmarked cars to snatch and hold others.

Although an email from the FPS states that there is no intelligence for federal buildings on January 6, the communication involving top FPS officials reported that the Proud Boys and other extremist groups along with thousands of Trump supporters from across the US would flock to DC. They were planning to protest against what they believe was a stolen election, and they also planned to march to the Capitol to confront Congress.

On January 3, the regional director of the department said in an email to leaders that numerous permits approved by the National Park Service and sold-out hotels indicate that there will be a large crowd. Among the “large number” of protesters expected, the director called ‘Proud Boys’ and ‘many other smaller groups’. The director also noted the Capitol as a place where Trump supporters would congregate, although he noted that “by the nature of this event, we do not expect any threats against federal facilities.”

On January 5, FPS’s investigative branch compiled a detailed information bulletin distributed to law enforcement officials from the national capital, the General Services Administration and other divisions within DHS, warning of possible violent threats related to the January 6 marches. .

“Domestic extremists to include anarchist extremists, anti-government extremists and racially motivated violent extremists are likely to participate in protected activities through the First Amendment and use activities as an opportunity to advance their ideologies and motivate followers to promote violence , “the bulletin said.

That night, authorities arrested four protesters for possession of a weapon and being “disorderly” around Black Lives Matter Square, according to an email. Homeland Security physical security officials also found and cleared protesters trying to sleep in their cars near the National Mall. In an email sent on the morning of January 6, the regional director once again noted that they were expecting “large groups” at the U.S. Capitol due to the joint session of Congress at 1 p.m. to confirm the outcome of the election . FPS followed three major rallies, he writes, two of which were scheduled to march to the Capitol when Congress began its session.

FPS officials have been combing social media about Trump supporters’ plans to gather and watch the day in DC. In emails and intelligence bulletins shared with the Homeland Security National Operations Center and security officers, FPS officials outlined dozens of Facebook opportunities and other posts that explicitly outlined which groups plan to attend events, where they come from and met and how many people had there Answer. Their lists included groups arriving by bus from places like Ohio and New Jersey. One memorandum from Homeland’s intelligence gathering arm, known as the Joint Strategic and Tactical Analysis Command Center, cataloged 29 protest marches over the January 6 election in DC alone.

A March during the Congress event, for example, drew 1,200 people and 5,000 interested people. A Million MAGA March / Stop the Steal Protest had 2,300 interested people. U.S. Capitol police also marked demonstrations and shared them with federal partners, one of which was planned for the eastern front of the Capitol with the aim of prompting Congress to vote against declaring what, according to organizers, was a fraudulent election. wash.

On the day of the attack, FPS officials continued to discuss the crowd and send information about groups of Proud Boys and disturbing potential threats. In an afternoon note sent to FPS leaders and the FBI’s National Crisis Coordination Center, a commander counted ‘300 Proud Boys at the US Capitol’, adding that they were ‘trying to shut down the water system in the city center,’ which includes government facilities. ”

At the time, there were about 25,000 people in the White House, and due to pocket restrictions, “individuals are hiding bags in bushes around the building.” In email threads, federal security officials watched the movements of the thousands of protesters, as well as militia groups and people ‘in riot’, as they moved around the area. The Metropolitan Police in DC also responded at one point to a man carrying a gun.

“About 200 people representing Proud Boys are in Union Square,” reads one 11:13 update. A minute later, an FPS official sent a screenshot of a tweet in which it was reported that a ‘contingent of Proud Boys’ had broken up from the large crowd’ and marched to the Capitol in the mall. ‘

Exactly one hour later, the officer updated his superiors: “POTUS encourages the protesters to march to the capital and continue protesting there.” Shortly afterwards, at 12:28 p.m., he sent another e-mail: “Protesters marching toward the capital of Pennsylvania, the Constitution and Madison, in numbers of 10-15,000.”

At 12:57 p.m., a large group violated a U.S. barrier of U.S. Capitol police.

As the crowds in the National Mall began to roam and head to the Capitol, security officials watched their live streams and sent screenshots of Trump supporters standing first on federal monuments and then bursting into the Capitol. Officials then sent a flurry of emails about the protests.

At 1:45 p.m., immediately after Congress begins its session, an FPS official sends two screenshots from Capitol Square, showing a sea of ​​American flags, that Trump supporters pass to break barricades to sit on which turns out to be the Peace Monument.

In the same email thread about protesters swarming across the Capitol grounds, an FPS official replied: “A wonderful picture” on a photo that was redirected due to privacy issues.

In another partially edited image from 14:26 shows about seven individuals, mostly in red hats, turning up a flight of stairs in the Capitol. By this time, the updates to FSP leaders came in quickly and urgently, showing how quickly the rioters overwhelmed the police forces and flooded the building. “Multiple police officers reporting injuries …” writes the FPS officer.

At 2:51 p.m., the Federal Protection Service sent one small group to assist the Capitol police, who according to records have already asked for “mutual assistance from Maryland and Virginia.”

At dusk, the authorities finally cleaned up the rioters’ building. In an email sent at 6 p.m., an FPS official asked to know how many of his officers were there. The Department of Homeland Security “has 24 supporting bodies,” they wrote. “I need to know if they include FPS in the score.”

A principal replied three minutes later. There were only 16 FPS officers at the Capitol. ●