Daily US Times: Washington DC police has prepared for Saturday’s rally in support of those arrested for storming the US Capitol on 6 January. The security is mounting in the US capital.
The city has called up large numbers of police officers, surrounded congressional buildings with reinforced fencing and put the national guard on standby to prepare for the “Justice for J6” protest near the Capitol building.
Department of Homeland Security warned about threats of violence, but there were signs the rally may fall short of the impact its organisers hope for, as some ardent pro-Trump groups and mainstream Republican politicians distanced themselves from the rally.
The protest was called to demand the release of about 650 people charged with Capitol riot offences after thousands of Trump supporters smashed their way into the Capitol building in an attempt to prevent members of Congress certifying the 2021 presidential election.
Four people died during the deadly riot, including a woman shot by a police officer as she tried to enter on to the floor of the House of Representatives. A Capitol police officer, named Brian Sicknick, attacked by the protesters, died the next day.
Nearly 60 people have pleaded guilty of the riot, mostly to relatively minor crimes including illegally demonstrating in the Capitol and obstruction of official proceedings.
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