The DoJ is planning to arrest more 6 January protesters before Donald Trump takes office.
According to NBC News, the Justice Department will focus on arresting the “most egregious” participants in the protests at the Capitol. In particular, that means individuals who committed felony assaults but have avoided arrest so far.
There are unlikely to be further arrests for misdemeanors, such as entering the Capitol but not assaulting law enforcement, unless a judge has already signed off on a particular case.
NBC quoted a “law enforcement official” who told them that guidance was also being issued for pending 6 January cases, to ensure that defendants are unable to delay their cases until after 20 January 2025.
“Prosecutors are instructed to argue that there is a societal interest in the quick administration of justice and these cases should be handled in the normal order,” NBC News says.
Informants have aided the FBI in identifying hundreds of people who were present at the Capitol on 6 January 2021. According to NBC, a further 75 people who feature on the FBI’s Capitol Violence website and are wanted for felony assault have now been identified.
During the presidential campaign, Trump said he intended to pardon some of the protesters involved in the events at the Capitol.