FBI warnings amid fears of more pro-Trump violence

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning of the possibility of armed protests and violence being held across the United States in the days before Joe Biden is sworn in as president.

There are reports of armed groups planning to gather at all 50 state capitols and in Washington DC in the run-up to his 20 January inauguration.

The fears come as security plans are hardened for the inauguration event itself.

Mr Biden told reporters on Monday that he was not afraid to take the oath of office outside of the US Capitol.

Both Mr Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris are still expected to be sworn in outside the Capitol building, only two weeks after it was the site of a deadly violence and raid by radical supporters of Mr Trump opposing the election result.

Security officials are resolute there will be no repeat of the breach seen on the last Wednesday – when thousands of supporters of Mr Trump were able to break into the grounds of the complex where members of Congress were voting to certify the election result.

On Monday, the acting head of the Department of Homeland Security, , Chad Wolf, said that he had instructed the US Secret Service to begin special operations for the inauguration on Wednesday – six days early – “in light of events of the past week and the evolving security landscape”.

Up to 15,000 National Guard troops could be made available to fortify the event, officials say.

Later on Monday, Mr Wolf became the third cabinet secretary of Trump administration to step down since the violent riots in the Capitol, after Betsy DeVos and Elaine Chao.