In anticipation of possible unrest surrounding the 2024 U.S. elections, authorities have installed eight-foot-tall, anti-scaling metal fencing around key government buildings, including the U.S. Capitol and the Treasury Department.
Additional security measures, such as bicycle racks marked with “Police Line: Do Not Cross,” are also in place, and local businesses have boarded up windows in preparation for potential disturbances.
D.C. reports that police are not aware of any credible threats and have said there is “no need for any alarm,” the Washington Post reported according to Forbes.
These protective actions come in light of the events of January 6, 2021, when the Capitol was attacked, disrupting the certification of the 2020 presidential election. The siege resulted in over 140 officers assaulted and significant property damage, with losses estimated at over $2.8 million.
In the ongoing prosecution, 943 individuals have pleaded guilty, with felony pleas involving offenses such as assaulting law enforcement and obstructing officials during the civil disorder. So far, 995 individuals have been sentenced, including 615 who received prison terms and 141 who were sentenced to serve time in home detention.
Fischer v. United States, a recent Supreme Court decision, has prompted a government review of approximately 259 cases involving 18 U.S.C. § 1512 charges related to obstruction. Since Fischer, the government has reconsidered or dropped this specific charge in certain cases, with one defendant receiving a sentence reduction.
As the investigation and prosecution continue, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI have sought the public’s assistance in identifying individuals still wanted in connection with violent assaults on law enforcement. Information on suspects and fugitives is available on the FBI’s Capitol Violence webpage, with a tip line open to gather leads.
