Extremists publicly shared violent plans for 'Operation Occupy the Capitol' weeks ago

Trump supporters face off with police at the Capitol.
(Image credit: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

Law enforcement officials say they had no indication Wednesday's protests at the Capitol were going to turn into violent riots. But journalists and researchers were warning of a planned siege weeks ago, largely based on public posts police could've checked out for themselves, NBC News reports.

Thousands of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building Wednesday, resulting in the death of at least five people, including one Capitol Police officer. Videos and firsthand accounts show law enforcement agencies were vastly underprepared for the siege; Washington, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said Thursday he had "no intelligence that suggested there would be a breach of the U.S. Capitol."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.