US police have warned of threats of violence at a planned right-wing rally in Washington DC this weekend.
The US Capitol behind newly-erected high security fences ahead of the 'Justice for J6' rally. Photo: AFP
Hundreds of far-right demonstrators and Donald Trump supporters are expected for the "Justice For J6" rally, to be held in support of the 600 people arrested for storming of the Capitol on 6 January in an attempt to stop certification of President Joe Biden's election victory.
Police have ramped up security around the white-domed building for the event on Saturday, mindful of the rioters from the January event who attacked police, smashed windows and climbed into the building, sending lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence running for safety.
Workers have reassembled a fence that was put up around the white-domed Capitol after that day, but was taken down in July.
Capitol Police Chief J Thomas Manger told reporters "there have been some threats of violence associated" with Saturday's demonstration.
The police department has a "strong plan in place" to maintain a peaceful event, he said.
"In the last few days, we've had a number of specific threats come in against specific members of Congress," Manger said, adding that those threats had not been "specifically tied to the rally tomorrow."
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has put 100 National Guard troops on standby to help police protect the Capitol if needed, the Pentagon said on Friday.
The troops had been requested by the Capitol police and would be based out of the DC Armoury building, near the Capitol.
The National Guard troops, who will be unarmed except for batons, would be used after local, state and federal law enforcement capabilities had been tapped, the spokesman said.
"The task force will only be deployed upon request of the Capitol Police to help protect the US Capitol Building and Congressional Office buildings by manning building entry points and verifying credentials of individuals seeking access to the building," the spokesman said.
Manger said one risk police were preparing for was clashes between Trump supporters and counter-protesters.
"What we're concerned about, I think, more than anything is the possibility of counter-demonstrators making it to this demonstration and there being violence between those two groups," Manger said.
"In my opinion, that's the most likely scenario for violence."
Most members of Congress will be out of town on Saturday.
-Reuters
