FBI Warns Of Armed Protests In Springfield, Other State Capitals

Springfield IL

11 January, 2021

5:29 PM

Description

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Armed protests are planned for all 50 state capitals and Washington, D.C., as soon as this weekend and continuing through the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, according to an internal FBI memo obtained by the Associated Press and first reported by ABC News. Officials are sounding the alarm after a pro-Trump mob assaulted the U.S. Capitol last week, breaking windows, ransacking offices and bludgeoning a police officer to death. Several Illinoisans have been charged for taking part in the failed bid to keep Donald Trump in the White House — despite no sign of widespread election fraud, according to Trump's own Justice Department. Calls for violence have spiked on social media in recent days, according to law enforcement. Before the conservative-friendly social network Parler shut down Sunday — after being banned by Apple, Google and Amazon — calls to target legislators, journalists and even Amazon delivery drivers were rampant. Patch has reached out to the Springfield Police Department and the Illinois State Police to see what preparations they are making in response to the FBI memo. This story will be updated when we hear back. Related: Electoral College Count: How IL's Congressional Delegation Voted3 Illinoisans Charged, Some Fired After Mob Assault On CapitolIL Real Estate Agent Who 'Stormed The Capitol' Fired: Company With only days left in his presidency, Trump could become the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. The House of Representatives is expected to vote as soon as Wednesday on an article charging him with incitement to insurrection.