Commotion: Capitol on Lockdown Due to “External Threat”

Drew Fossen

News

19th January 2021

Commotion: Capitol on Lockdown Due to “External Threat”

The Capitol was shut down for an hour on Monday (Getty Images).

The Claim

The U.S. Capitol is on lockdown due to an “external threat.”

News posted on

Manu Raju

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Emerging story

Originally posted on Twitter on Monday, January 18th, 2021 by Senior Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju, an alert urged people to “avoid coming to the Capitol Complex area.” The alert stated that this was “Due to an external security threat under the bridge on I-295 at First and F Streets SE."

Manu Raju also posted a screenshot of the message that was sent to Capitol staffers.

This Tweet caused some panic and a lot of speculation as to what the ‘External Threat’ was. Some people linked it with the storming of the U.S. Capitol, thinking that it was caused by Trump or his supporters.

Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar’s investigation rates this claim as commotion.

According to Reuters, “The U.S. Capitol complex was shut down for about an hour on Monday out of an abundance of caution after a small fire broke out nearby.”

When the announcement was made, staffers were attending a rehearsal for Joe Biden’s inaugural ceremonies. They were evacuated from the area and rushed into the U.S. Capitol visitor centre after the lockdown was announced. Officials later said the fire was not believed to be a threat to the inaugural rehearsal.

According to the U.S. Secret Service on Twitter, “Public safety and law enforcement responded to a small fire in the area of 1st and F streets SE, Washington, D.C. that has been extinguished. Out of an abundance of caution the U.S. Capitol complex was temporarily shutdown. There is no threat to the public.”