A U.S. Secret Service department responsible for early detection of security threats has systematically ignored signals that violent protests could break out in Washington on January 6, 2021. That reports Bloomberg news agency based on nearly 900 pages of internal documents that it requested and analyzed.
Supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol that day, where the United States Congress was meeting at that time to formally determine the results of the presidential election. Four people were killed and more than 100 injured in the storm.
Since the end of 2020, agents of a special branch of the Secret Service have been monitoring all kinds of websites where members of extremist groups discussed with each other. Calls were also shared there to demonstrate in Washington on January 6. Someone wrote that he would bring a sniper rifle. The Secret Service identified the man as potentially dangerous. Despite this, officers wrote in a memo that “there is no indication of civil disobedience”.
The same happened after the agency saw reports that members of the far-right Proud Boys militia were coming to Washington in droves. The militiamen wrote that they would dress inconspicuously and quickly disperse in groups throughout the city. Once again, agents reported internally that there was no threat.
That Secret Service analysts underestimate the threat so much is salient. The agency is responsible for the security of key politicians, such as Vice President Mike Pence, who is seen by Trump supporters as a traitor. Pence was in the Capitol at the time of the storm, and assailants came within yards of him. The Secret Service agents who were supposed to protect him later testified that they feared for their lives.
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