Police in San Francisco are reportedly preparing for potential demonstrations at Twitter’s headquarters after the social media giant banned President Trump from its platform.
The San Francisco Police Department was notified about the possible Monday protest and has been in communication with Twitter about preparations if demonstrators decide to descend upon the headquarters, which is located right in the heart of the city, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The Washington Examiner reached out to the police for more information but did not immediately receive a response.
The potential California unrest comes after Twitter permanently suspended Trump from its platform on Friday, citing fears that the president risked sparking a “further incitement of violence” after a crowd of his supporters stormed the Capitol last week, resulting in the deaths of five people, including a Capitol Police officer. A second Capitol Police officer later died by suicide, but it is unclear if his death was related to Wednesday’s violence.
When contacted about the possible headquarters protest, a Twitter spokesperson told the Washington Examiner on Monday that the company has a work-from-home requirement because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The safety of our employees is our top priority. While we respect people’s right to express their views, we’ve been transparent about the factors leading up to our decision last week,” the spokesperson said.
Posts from a pro-Trump web forum over the weekend included calls for protests at Twitter’s headquarters. One person encouraged demonstrators to bring zip ties to “citizen arrest violent agitators,” as well as megaphones and body cameras, according to the newspaper.
Dozens of people were arrested as a result of Wednesday’s siege, and the police and FBI are asking the public for help in identifying other suspects spotted inside the Capitol building after its security was violently overrun.
Trump made his first public speech about the chaos on Thursday in a short video posted to Twitter before he was suspended.
“The demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy,” the president said. “To those who engage in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country.”
