Social media chatter regarding a Saturday rally at the Capitol by allies of former President Donald Trump included mentions of targeting a U.S. lawmaker and other elected officials, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence report. Rally organizers have said that the demonstration is meant to be a show of support for "political prisoners," in reference to people charged and detained for their involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, the Associated Press reported.
More than 600 people have been charged so far in connection to the January riot and around 60 people are being kept behind bars. The DHS report said that some social media posts mentioned possibly storming the Capitol again on Friday night, while one poster "commented on kidnapping an identified member of Congress." The document did not provide the name of the identified lawmaker, the AP reported.
"Other references to violence identified on social media include discussions of using the rally to target local Jewish institutions, elected officials, and 'liberal churches,'" it said.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
Intelligence suggested that extremist groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers would turn up, but some prominent members of the groups have sworn they aren't going and have told others not to attend. Far-right online chatter has been generally tame, and Republican lawmakers are downplaying the event.
But law enforcement officials are taking no...
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