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Acting attorney general says authorities will not tolerate disruptions to Biden inauguration

Capitol riot suspects.FBI

The nation’s top federal prosecutor warned Tuesday that authorities will have “no tolerance” for anyone who tries to disrupt President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration Wednesday with violence, following the deadly attack on the US Capitol Jan. 6.

Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen provided the warning about Biden’s inaugural in a strongly worded statement.

Rosen said “the violence we witnessed at the Capitol two weeks ago was an intolerable travesty, which is why the Justice Department has now brought charges against more than one-hundred individuals and has investigations of many others underway.”

He said authorities are committed to a peaceful inauguration Wednesday and have received more than 200,000 digital tips on the Jan. 6 violence from the public.

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“As I have repeatedly said over the last two weeks, the Justice Department will have no tolerance for anyone who attempts to mar the day with violence or other criminal conduct,” Rosen said. “Anyone who does that will be caught, and they will be prosecuted.”

The staggering trove of tips on the Capitol violence, Rosen said, has come from suspects’ friends, family members, co-workers, and others.

“The American people have demonstrated that they will not allow mob violence to go unanswered,” Rosen said. “Violence and senseless criminal conduct are not the right way to resolve differences or promote change in our country.”

Security’s currently heightened, Rosen continued.

“So, rest assured that every level of law enforcement and the National Guard are working around the clock here in Washington, D.C., to provide safety and security for Inauguration Day, and that federal, state, and local law enforcement all around the country are doing the same in our state capitols and government buildings across all fifty states,” he said. “As Americans, we all should seek to have a safe and peaceful Inauguration Day, and if we hold fast to our country’s Constitution and traditions, we will.”

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The FBI, meanwhile, continues to seek the public’s help in identifying suspects in the Capitol attack and the planting of pipe bombs that same day at the Republican and Democratic national committee headquarters.

Via Twitter Tuesday morning, the FBI again released images of a pipe bomb suspect, whose face was obscured and who wore a light-colored hooded sweatshirt. The bureau says the suspect is “responsible for the placement of suspected pipe bombs in D.C.,” at the RNC and DNC offices.

Authorities have previously announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the person’s identification.

The Tuesday advisory followed additional postings from the bureau Monday, when the FBI Washington Field office tweeted out four posters bearing images of several other suspects.

The bureau alleges those suspects “made unlawful entry into the United States Capitol Building and assaulted federal law enforcement personnel” on Jan. 6, as Congress was in the process of certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s November victory.

Earlier on the day of the riot, many in the mob had heard President Trump at a rally exhort his supporters to “fight like hell” and walk to the Capitol building in an effort to disrupt the certification process, which was halted but wrapped up early the following morning. Biden, a Democrat, is scheduled for inauguration Wednesday amid a beefed up security presence.

Anyone with information on the suspects pictured in the advisories from the FBI, or on anyone else involved in the deadly attack, is urged to call the bureau’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tipsters can also submit relevant information, photos, or videos online by visiting fbi.gov/USCapitol.

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“You may also contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate,” the advisory said.

Shelley Murphy of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.



Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.