The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) said Thursday that the department investigated more than 8,000 threats made against congressional lawmakers in 2023, a spike of more than 500 from the previous year.
Further, USCP warned of a bigger spike in 2024, given that threat assessments generally increase in an election year.
"With the political conventions, Member campaigns, and many issues being debated on Capitol Hill, this is going to be a very busy year for our special agents," USCP Assistant Chief of Protective and Intelligence Operations Ashan Benedict said in a release. "Our team is dedicated to putting all of our resources into protecting the Congress while we continue to grow in order to keep up with our expanding mission."
USCP investigated 8,008 cases of concerning statements and direct threats this past year, up from 7,501 in 2022. There were 9,625 cases in 2021, the year of the Jan. 6 riots.
People continue to have a false sense of anonymity on social media, which has resulted in more investigations over the years, USCP said in its release.
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