Senate Reports Details Intelligence, Security Failures During Capitol Riot
A bipartisan Senate report reveals that there are intelligence and security failures, leading to the January 6 Capitol riot. This includes a breakdown within several intelligence agencies, as well as a lack of training and preparation for Capitol Police officers.
The Senate report was released on Tuesday and reviews how hundreds of former President Donald Trump's supporters were able to push past the security line and breach the Capitol that day, according to a CBS News report.
The bipartisan review detailed police officers on the front lines suffering from chemical burns, brain injuries, and broken bones. Officers told senators that they were left with no direction when the command system was lost.
Sen. Gary Peters (D., Mich.), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said that the report is not a comprehensive account of everything that took place leading and during the attack.
READ MORE: Capitol Attack Suspect Noah Green: A 'Nation of Islam' Follower Who Spoke About Gov't 'Mind Control'
Senate Report's Recommendations
The more than -100-page Senate report had included 20 recommendations, such as to empower the Capitol Police chief to unilaterally request assistance from the National Guard in energy, according to The Wall Street Journal report.
Congress would have to pass a measure to address the key recommendation. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Roy Blunt said they would sponsor the bill to do so.
The report also recommended improving the training for Capitol Police officers, as well as collecting the Capitol Police's intelligence units.
It also includes how intelligence agencies manage social media posts containing threats of violence, and fast-tracking the approval process for deploying the National Guard.
Peters said that the report is important in that it allows them to make some immediate improvements to the security situation in the Capitol.
However, he added that it does not answer some of the biggest questions that they need to face, as a country and as a democracy.
Intelligence and Security Failures
The report had also found that law enforcement officials did not take seriously the threats of violence, adding that the police force at the Capitol lacked the capacity to respond effectively when the threats materialized.
Klobuchar said that the failures are obvious. She detailed one of the officers who was heard on the radio asking a question if anybody does have a plan, according to The New York Times report.
The Capitol Police responded to the report and said in a statement that its top officials have agreed on the need for improvement, including changes in collecting and sharing of intelligence.
Capitol Police said that their leadership knew that the Capitol grounds were to be a destination for a large demonstration.
However, they stated that no one knew thousands of rioters were planning to attack the Capitol, including some of their law enforcement partners.
Capitol Police said that their intelligence simply did not support that conclusion.
The committee staff had collected more than 50 statements from Capitol Police officers, painting a portrayal of the rioters.
Some of the rioters had given Nazi salutes and spoken racist slurs at them. One officer said they were being crushed by the mob.
Around 140 law enforcement officers had reported injuries during the Capitol riot.
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WATCH: Senate report reveals security, intelligence failures before Capitol riot - from ABC News
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