Inauguration rehearsal is evacuated due to ‘external security threat’
Nation’s capital on edge: Inauguration rehearsal is dramatically evacuated due to ‘external security threat’ that turned out to be a fire caused by a homeless woman using propane inside her tent – amid fears of an imminent ‘insider attack’
- A fire under a bridge near the Capitol building produced huge plumes of smoke on Monday morning
- It sent the nearby rehearsal into a panic and staffers ran for their lives from the bleachers set up
- A loudspeaker announcement played warning people to evacuate; no public officials were in attendance
- Staffers in nearby buildings were told to stay away from windows and the military was evacuated
- The fire department later tweeted that the smoke came from a fire beneath a bridge a short distance away
- The fire was started by a homeless woman using propane inside her tent that caused ‘an explosion’
- The scare comes amid growing fears of an attack on Wednesday after an unprecedented period of unrest
- President Trump will not attend Wednesday’s event – he plans to leave DC at 8am and not participate in any kind of transition of power
- Fewer than 100 people have been charged over the riot on January 6
A rehearsal for the inauguration had to be called off and everyone in attendance evacuated on Monday morning due to an ‘external security threat’ that turned out to be a fire started by a homeless woman under a nearby bridge.
Military personnel and staffers ran from the temporary seating on the Capitol Building’s West Front while an evacuation warning played in the background shortly after an ‘explosion’ was heard at around 10.30am.
As they panicked and ran for cover, plumes of smoke rose above the Capitol Building, where thousands of armed protesters staged an attempted coup on January 6.
Journalists at the scene reported being told of an ‘external security threat’ and people working in the Capitol Complex were told to stay away from windows and doors.
Less than an hour later, the fire department revealed that the chaos was caused by a homeless woman who unwittingly caused an explosion by using propane gas in her tent.
It caused a huge fire beneath a freeway on H Street South East, which is a stone’s throw from the Capitol, and was the source of the black smoke that had terrified people on the hill.
The scare comes amid growing fears of an insider attack on the Biden inauguration while the nation still reels from the Capitol Building riot on January 6. Pentagon officials are concerned that an insider attack may be in the works.
All 25,000 of the National Guardsmen who will be there to protect the event are being vetted by the FBI.
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People evacuate from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol during a rehearsal the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
US military during a rehearsal for President-elect Joe Biden’s Presidential Inauguration in US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 18 January 2021
People evacuate from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol during a rehearsal the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
Smoke started rising behind the Capitol building on Monday morning which made people rehearsing the inauguration panic
This is where the fire originated – beneath a bridge behind the US Capitol Building
Members of the military band evacuate from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol due to a security threat
People evacuate from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol after a security threat during a rehearsal the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
Members of the military shelter in place at the U.S. Capitol after a dress rehearsal for the 59th inaugural ceremony for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris
The fire was started by a homeless woman who was using propane inside her tent. It caused an ‘explosion’ that was heard in the area. She was not seriously injured
Huge plumes of smoke coming from beneath the freeway by-pass on Monday morning
The evacuation was first reported shortly after 10.40am.
‘Overhead announcement to those of us in Inauguration rehearsals just now at the Capitol saying there’s an external security threat, no entry or exit, stay away from exterior windows & doors, if outside to seek cover,’ one journalist at the scene tweeted.
The fire department tweeted less than an hour later: ‘#DCsBravest responded to an outside fire in the 100 block of H St SE that has been extinguished.
‘There were no injuries. This accounts for smoke that many have seen.
‘Update outside fire 100 block of H St SE. Fire involved a homeless tent beneath freeway. #DCsBravest quickly extinguished fire.
‘Occupant indicated she was using propane, which may explain report of “explosion “. 1 individual with non life threatening injury.’
They did not specify what she was using the propane for. The woman did not want to be taken to the hospital.
Capitol police said in a statement that the incident had been ‘contained’ by that the area was still on lockdown.
‘The Capitol Complex is currently in lockdown. All personnel are advised to stay indoors and away from windows and doors.’
The security for Wednesday’s event will be on a larger scale than any other in recent history.
Some 25,000 armed National Guardsmen will be in Washington DC for it. Many are already there and have been since the immediate aftermath of the January 6 MAGA mob riot.
But defense officials say they are now fearful of an insider attack that could threaten the event. All of the troops who will be in Washington to protect the event have to be vetted first by the FBI.
One Army reservist with ‘secret’ security clearance has already been arrested for his alleged part in the Capitol siege earlier this month.
City workers clean up the scene at Homeless encampment 100 H St SE where a fire earlier today sparked security concerns that saw the inauguration rehearsal evacuated
It’s unclear how many people were living in the encampment. No one was seriously hurt despite the huge flames
City workers are shown cleaning up the debris of the fire on Monday morning
Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, 30, of New Jersey was described in court papers as an ‘avowed white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer’ who allegedly ‘encouraged’ other violent rioters before being charged Friday.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are conscious of the potential inauguration threat, and warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches.
So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the vetting hadn’t flagged any issues.
‘We´re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,’ McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders went through an exhaustive, three-hour security drill in preparation for Wednesday´s inauguration.
DC is already on high alert with road blocks and a ‘ring of steel’ of security ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration
A stand-in for President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on the podium, as a stand-in for Jill Biden looks on, during a rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
Stand-ins for President-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden, walk on to the podium during a rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
A stand-in for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, left, is sworn-in as a stand-in for Doug Emhoff, second left, and stand-in family, look on, during a rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18
Preparations take place before a rehearsal for President-elect Joe Biden’s Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
Military personnel waiting to be told it is safe to return to the West front at the Capitol Building on Monday morning
People after evacuating the West front of the Capitol on Monday morning
Members of the military waiting inside the Capitol after evacuating the West front on Monday
US Capitol Police lead members of the news media to a secure area after the US Capitol went into lockdown due to a ‘security threat’, in Washington, DC
Tough security measures are being put in place across Washington DC ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration, including bringing in at least 10,000 National Guard troops, erecting new anti-climb fences around the Capitol and White House and the closure of national monuments
Two armed National Guardsmen are shown protecting the Capitol building on Sunday
Police officers and Secret Service agents stand guard at a check point near the Capitol ahead of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration
National Guard troops load up weapons at the Nation’s Capital ahead of the upcoming inauguration for President Joe Biden
National Guard members take a staircase toward the U.S. Capitol building before a rehearsal for President-elect Joe Biden’s Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. There are now fears of an inside plot to sabotage the event
He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats.
Hale-Cusanelli, the arrested army reservist with ‘secret’ security clearance, is alleged to have told other rioters to ‘advance’.
He now faces charges including knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, The New York Post reports.
The FBI has released photos of seven MAGA mob rioters wanted for beating and tasing a police officer as they screamed ‘kill him with his own gun’ during the Capitol siege.
DC Metropolitan Police Officer Mike Fanone, 40, suffered a mild heart attack after being attacked during the violent January 6 siege at the US Capitol.
Fanone, who is a father-of-four, was among the officers who were overpowered and beaten while trying to stop the rioters from storming the building.
The FBI Washington Field Office has released images of the seven suspects they say were involved in the assault on Fanone.
The photos are from images and footage that were taken of the violence scenes at the Capitol.
Authorities are now seeking the public’s help in identifying those suspects.
Less than two weeks ago, 15,000 armed protesters stormed the Capitol in an attempted coup while congress was certifying the election result
The FBI has released photos of seven MAGA mob rioters wanted for beating and tasering DC Metropolitan Police Officer Mike Fanone as they screamed ‘kill him with his own gun’ during the January 6 siege
In a press conference last week, Fanone described being attacked by the mob and said rioters had tried to grab his gun and yelled: ‘Kill him with his own gun’.
Riley June Williams, of Harrisburg, was charged Sunday with entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct after she was videoed rioting inside the Capitol last week. She is now being investigated by the FBI
‘It looked like a medieval battle scene,’ Fanone, who rushed to the Capitol after hearing an urgent call for back-up on the radio, said
He was among the officers who tried to defend the West Terrace.
At the time, Fanone and his colleagues were unaware that protesters had already breached the Capitol and were inside.
He recalled being dragged away from the doors to the Capitol by rioters.
Photographs from the scene showed him screaming as he tried to fight them off.
Fanone said that he and his colleagues had mace sprayed in their faces, had their batons stolen and were then beaten with them.
‘We were getting chemical irritants sprayed,’ he said.
‘They had pipes and different metal objects, batons, some of which I think they had taken from law enforcement personnel. They had been striking us with those.’
He said it was impossible to fight the crowd.
Fanone said some of the rioters tried to grab his gun and he feared they were going to shoot him. He said he believes he was only spared because he pleaded with rioters not to kill him for the sake of his children.
It came as a fugitive Pennsylvania worker was investigated for ‘stealing’ Nancy Pelosi’s laptop.
In video footage captured by British broadcaster ITV, Williams can be seen inside the Capitol, wearing a green T-shirt and brown trench coat, holding a zebra-print bag
Williams is seen highlighted in the above image in a demonstration outside the Capitol on January 6
Riley June Williams, 22, of Harrisburg, was charged Sunday with entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct after she was filmed rioting inside the Capitol on January 6.
A court affidavit outlining Williams’ alleged crimes suggests that she could soon face much more serious charges.
In the affidavit, FBI Agent John Lund said that a former romantic partner of Williams – identified only as W1 – had also come forward to tell the bureau she had stolen either a laptop or hard drive from Pelosi’s office during the insurrection.
The witness told investigators that friends of Williams had played them a video that showed her stealing the device.
They further claimed that Williams, a care worker, then ‘intended to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, who then planned to sell the device to SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service.’
However, according to the witness the plan fell through for unknown reasons and Williams is either still in possession of the device or has since destroyed it.
The FBI said the matter remains under investigation as agents work to verify W1’s allegations. For now, Williams is just facing charges of entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.
Williams is believed to be still on the run from police after having allegedly fled from her home when a warrant was issued for her arrest.
