HLS Final PJ

Title: Title of Paper

John Q. Student

Tiffin University

Abstract

The Capitol Hill attack was an indicator of the growing insurgency of domestic extremism and white supremacy militias. This report exemplifies the looming threat such groups pose to national security and the level of provocation they are prepared to unleash due to the entitlement of being U.S. Citizens. Additionally, this is compounded by the poor preparation and planning of security agencies due to undermining their capabilities. Poor communication and lack of interdepartmental coordination were also evident. The Capitol Hill attack went down in history as one of the significant failures of security bodies in the country. The lives of lawmakers and frontline line officers were heavily threatened by the extremist groups and the inadequate response by the security institutions. The primary lesson learnt is that the threat posed by domestic extremist groups ought to be taken more seriously.

Introduction

Research

The storming of the U.S. Capitol was a convergence of many organizations. These organizations can be grouped into white supremacists, antigovernment and militia movements (Luke, 2021). There were different groups involved: Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Turning Point USA, and Three Percenters (Waqar, 2021). The realization of pursuit for a common objective was reported to contribute to the mob mentality witnessed.

Planning the Capital Hill storming required a lot of planning. Most of the planning was said to take place on online platforms. This is also an indicator of the rise of online extremism. Due to stringent rules by the major platforms, most of the organization on online extremism is shifting towards smaller, niche platforms (Waqar, 2021).

The rioters shocked many people in the country by how fast they could swiftly overwhelm the security forces in the nation's capital. This was a huge disappointment despite the multitude of law enforcement agencies in the vicinity. The U.S. Capital Police are mandated to protect the White House. The U.S. Park Police protect the Ellipse, the Metropolitan Police Department on the city streets, and the U.S. Secret Service in the Capitol Complex (Luke, 2021). The National Guard was also required to be on standby during the period, primarily due to the high tension attributed to the heavy political polarization and transition (Martin, 2020).

Analysis

The level of preparedness of Capitol Hill for the attack was relatively poor. The U.S. Capitol Police had already received specific intelligence on the attack some days prior. There are questions on the accuracy of intelligence received since the information was all out there because the planning happened on online platforms. Unfortunately, the Capitol Hill Police prepared for a regular protest instead of an organized assault (Karoun, 2021). This points out breakdowns in intelligence gathering (Martin, 2020). Such ignorance and negligence led to inadequate preparation of the frontline workers. The attack could have had significant implications since it compromised the security of lawmakers and other officials in the building. This also points out inefficiencies in other intelligence bodies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Karoun, 2021). The attack also signifies inadequate training of the Capitol Police in handling less-than-lethal munitions and mob control.

The inadequate response at Capitol Hill was characterized by miscommunication and confusion among the commanding officials. Slow mobilization and poor interdepartmental communication was also a concern (Karoun, 2021). The delay in sending in the National Guard to assist the overwhelmed Capitol police can be attributed to a lack of clarity of the help needed and bureaucracy in issuing a formal request. This was showcased in a report by Senate Homeland Security, and Governmental Affairs Committee and Senate Rules Committee.

The delay in response can also be attributed to the over-militarization in the George Floyd protests in 2020, which spewed a lot of public outrage (Karoun, 2021). The preparation of a “clear deployment plan” to prevent over-militarization consumption delayed the response for long. A lot of additional measures and authorization protocols also contributed to the delayed response.

The delayed response and inadequate preparedness indicate the lack of well-drawn contingency plans to respond quickly to civil disturbances (Karoun, 2021). This was also compounded by flawed situational analysis to determine the level of assistance accurately and equipment required. Poor orientation with updates in the command-and-control work is also depicted (Cooper, 2012).

The rise of domestic extremism stems from some of the dark areas of American histories, such as White Supremacy. As showcased in response to the Capitol Hill attack, there is a lot of hesitancy in confronting these groups (Martin, 2020). With the advent of medial social platforms, they can coordinate their activities despite geographical differences. It is also easier for them to acquire arms due to the proliferation of guns in America. Unfortunately, some extremist ideologies have also penetrated political circles, armed services, and police departments, undermining their trust and cooperation. There is a likelihood of bias in the court systems, which will be a barrier to judicial proceedings (Martin, J., & Cooper,2017).

The security response to the Capitol Hill attacks was characterized by poor intelligence collection and inadequate preparations for the attack. The actual response was also characterized by poor interdepartmental communication and excessive bureaucratic procedures. These practices threatened the security of lawmakers in the building and risked the security of frontline officers. This reflects the implications of how poor planning and response to domestic extremism can undermine the country security.

References

Cooper, H. (Ed.). (2012). A handbook of research methods in psychology (Vols 1-3). American