Western Pa. officials prep for possible violence prior to Biden’s inauguration

Public safety leaders and police in Western Pennsylvania are preparing for possible demonstrations and violence in the Pittsburgh area in the days leading up to the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden as Twitter warns of a potential “secondary attack” on the U.S. Capitol.

Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich confirmed that he and other city officials are “aware of social media rumors and media reports of possible actions and/or protests” in the Pittsburgh area.

“As is always the case, Public Safety is preparing with our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal levels for any and all events in the city,” Hissrich said Saturday afternoon in a statement.

Allegheny County officials also are paying close attention to possible events and working with other law enforcement agencies, Allegheny County Police Superintendent Coleman McDonough told the Tribune-Review.

“Like our city partners, we are monitoring the situation and actively communicating with our local, state and federal partners,” McDonough said by email Saturday afternoon. “Of course, we’re unable to discuss any specific preparations.”

Twitter, which permanently removed President Trump’s account from Twitter on Friday, warned of social media being used to plan potential further violence in Washington and other cities around the United States.

“Plans for future armed protests have already begun proliferating on and off-Twitter, including a proposed secondary attack on the US Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17, 2021,” Twitter wrote in a statement issued Friday.

Alethea Group, an organization combating disinformation, has analyzed social media and found that Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio and Salt Lake City are among localized events being scheduled before and on Inauguration Day in all 50 states, the Washington Post reports.

“While we cannot discuss specific preparations, I have personally been in regular contact with law enforcement in order to continuously monitor the situation and prepare,” Hissirch said. “We will ensure public safety.”

Hissrich added that “appropriate disciplinary action will be taken” against any city employees that are found to have “participated in Wednesday’s deadly insurrection in the national’s capital.”

NEW: Statement on possible protests:

"Public Safety is preparing with our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal levels for any and all events in the city," Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said.

Full statement here: https://t.co/Glb98L4PI1 pic.twitter.com/PmLvHb4SCx

— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) January 9, 2021