A Nationally Organized, Far-Right Rally Is Planned for Saturday in D.C. Should We Be Worried?

Photo: Joshua Roberts / Reuters

As fencing goes up once more around the U.S. Capitol, police and lawmakers are looking ahead to Saturday with a mix of concern and resolve. A group calling itself “Look Ahead America” run by a former Trump campaign staffer named Matt Braynard has organized the September 18th follow-on protest under the name “Justice for J6,” referring to the January 6 insurrectionists who were arrested or killed. With the violent attack still fresh in the minds of the American public and lawmakers, what should we make of this planned protest? Could it get out of control once again? Here are a few things to consider:

What Are They Protesting?

Braynard put out a “rally guidance” video in which he claims they will be “demanding justice” for so-called “political prisoners” arrested after the insurrection. The calls also center around Ashli Babbitt, the QAnon follower fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer as she broke through a window and tried to enter the Speaker’s Lobby in Congress at the head of a violent mob. Authorities are concerned that Babbitt could serve as a kind of martyr to motivate further extremism.

The shift in rhetoric to focus on “political prisoners” is head-spinning and notable, given that the right for months attempted to claim the entire insurrection was some kind of left-wing false flag or “Antifa” plot. It follows the lead of radical Housemembers such as Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ), who are associated with Look Ahead America and have spoken at earlier protests on behalf of the “political prisoners.” So far, the extremist GOP House members have not been able to rally large crowds to the cause and have been met by counter-protesters who have disrupted their press conferences.

Enthusiasm for the Protest May be Muted

Right-wing chat rooms and platforms are abuzz with the news of the protest, and some of the most violent hate organizations such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, through their videos, have encouraged members to attend. The Department of Justice also has begun to flag social media posts. “Tyrants want us to live in fear. They want us to fear being labeled ‘domestic terrorists,’’ one post said. Another advised prospective attendees not to bring their cell phones and to stay in hotels outside of D.C. And a Capitol Police intelligence memo obtained by CNN warns of potential “violence” on September 18, including “against Jewish centers and liberal churches while law enforcement is distracted that day.”

“We’re going back to the Capitol, right where it started,” organizer Braynard warned. “And it’s going to be huge.” Notwithstanding this bluster, the number of attendees is currently expected to number in the low thousands, if that. With over 600 arrests from January 6, many would-be agitators may stay away, concerned that they will be identified and investigated. Some are still at large.

Homeland Security has assigned a low threat level to the protest for now, giving it a rating of “5” on the five-point scale, with “1” being the most dangerous. A “5” means the event is nationally recognized but generally will have local or state importance. In addition, the protest is taking place on a Saturday, when Congress is out of session, so there will be few staffers or Congressmembers there. And the House is not yet back in session. Given these factors, a repeat of January 6 on September 18 is fairly unlikely.

Capitol Police and Intelligence Take the Threat Seriously

Still, authorities are taking few chances. After January 6, Congressional hearings cited a series of intelligence and security failures, and several leaders and officers within the Capitol Police resigned or were disciplined. Authorities are not eager to see a repeat of those failures, and so precautions and preparedness are the order.

“We are closely monitoring Sept. 18 and we are planning accordingly,” said Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger. “After Jan. 6, we made department-wide changes to the way we gather and share intelligence internally and externally. I am confident the work we are doing now will make sure our officers have what they need to keep everyone safe.”

In addition, while the National Guard will not be activated in response, the Metropolitan Police Department will be on high alert, with Civil Disturbance Units on standby and a steady monitoring of online chatter to gauge potential crowd attendance.

The fact that our nation’s capital is once again potentially under threat of violent protest is a grim reminder that we have yet to “move on” from January 6, and that within Congress itself, far-right agitators continue to foment division and encourage extremism. Meanwhile, the work of the bipartisan January 6 committee progresses, with thousands of pages of documents now turned over by telecom companies that were subpoenaed by the committee. Those documents may include phone and email records from certain Congressmembers on or around January 6,  including the very ones expected to support or even attend the rally on Saturday—though as of yet, no speakers have yet been announced or confirmed.