Image Credit: ERIC BARADAT via Getty Images 
Less than a week after the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin saying that anti-government extremists angry at COVID measures could be preparing attacks, DC and New York were both hit with bomb scares.
Last Friday, the DHS warned that there was a “heightened” risk of attacks carried out by domestic extremists motivated by their opposition to lockdown measures and anti-government sentiment.
Earlier today, a man from North Carolina parked a truck outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill and began telling authorities that the vehicle contained an explosive device.
The truck was seen outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill on Thursday morning and police say they reason to believe it may be carrying an explosive device. The Supreme Court building, along with several other nearby buildings, have also been evacuated as officers swarm. pic.twitter.com/5QaCv7n3Uw
— Rasta Redpill (@RastaRedpill) August 19, 2021
The man began filming a Facebook livestream explaining how he was a an ex-serviceman, but the social media site quickly removed the video.
In a video of the man’s statements posted to Twitter, the suspect rambles about wanting to speak to Joe Biden while threatening, “If you shoot me, 2 and a half blocks are going with me.”
| BREAKING: Man claiming to have explosive device in a truck on the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress says "only Joe Biden" can detonate the claimed explosive he has. "If you shoot me, 2 and a half blocks are going with me"
— News For All (@NewsForAllUK) August 19, 2021
Police apparently know the identity of the suspect but don’t know his motive, although he reportedly said he is “ready to die for the cause.”
According to Andrea Mitchell, the man has a criminal history and has expressed “anti-government views.”
On bomb threat near Library of Congress, @PeteWilliamsNBC: "He is from North Carolina, and they say he is expressing anti-government views. My understanding is they looked into his history, and he does have some criminal violations in his past…" (1/3) #AMRstaff
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) August 19, 2021
Meanwhile, New York’s Times Square has also been evacuated after an object resembling a “cookie tin” was thrown at people in Father Duffy Square.
#BREAKING
Watch out: At this hour cordoned off Times Square in NYC for suspicious package threat. Authorities are trying to rule out the presence of explosives. Bystanders evacuated from the area
. #NewYorkCity #TimesSquare
– Ricardo Ospina pic.twitter.com/J31cfgLxTr
— Fra
(@FrancescComito) August 19, 2021
In light of the bomb threat in DC, authorities chose to lock down the area and told people to stay away.
Although the bomb threat in New York looks likely to be harmless, the situation in DC is precarious and ongoing.
يحدث الان نيويوركتم إخلاء تايمز سكوير من قبل شرطة نيويورك بسبب عبوة مشبوهة (ميدتاون ، مانهاتن)
pic.twitter.com/E6wb5JJHbG— California
(@OldPrague) August 19, 2021
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