100 National Guard troops are on standby to support Capitol Police during pro-Trump rally Saturday

The chief added that “the most likely scenario for violence” is the possibility of the protesters clashing with counterdemonstrators. Capitol Police are aware of at least three counter-protest groups planning to gather, one of which has more of a history of violence than the others.

Manger also said some elected officials had been invited to the event, but “to my knowledge all of them declined.”

Rally organizer Matt Braynard did not immediately respond when asked which elected officials had been invited to the event.

“We are hoping and expecting a peaceful event this weekend, but our operational plan is scalable so that we will be ready to handle anything that occurs,” acting Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher said at the presser.

In recent days, police have ramped up security around the Capitol, erecting fences around the Capitol grounds, Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, and other congressional office buildings.

Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Robert Contee told reporters on Friday that local and federal security partners have carefully planned for the upcoming rally.

“Our department has increased staffing today and is fully activated for tomorrow. So you will notice an increased police presence around the city and this is to ensure everyone’s safety and security throughout the district,” Contee said.

Manger said that while the permit for the rally requested a presence of 700 people, it was not clear if all those individuals would attend.

The Transportation Security Administration has said that travelers arriving at Regan National Airport in Virginia will face increased security in the run-up to the rally.

“Travelers will notice increased law enforcement and canine presence along with a generally higher level of awareness in TSA’s intelligence-driven, risk-based approach to transportation security,” a TSA spokesperson told Reuters.

On Jan. 6, Trump encouraged thousands of his supporters at a rally outside the White House to march to the Capitol to protest what historically have been ceremonial proceedings.

Vice President Mike Pence, who had been presiding over the count of Electoral College votes, was rushed out of the Senate as the Capitol complex went into lockdown when Trump supporters began pouring into the building.

Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa – who were all in the line of presidential succession – were taken to secure locations.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/17/100-national-guard-on-standby-to-support-capitol-police-during-pro-trump-rally.html