International Desk: There is one more week left for the early elections in the United States. Before this, there was a violent attack on the husband of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, on Friday. Analysts warned that the attack was not an isolated incident, but a manifestation of political tension in the country ahead of the elections.
Hours after reports of the attack on Paul Pelosi on Friday, the US government sent a warning to law enforcement agencies across the country. It warned that “attacks on the houses of election candidates and workers may occur due to ideological differences”.
On the same day, the U.S. Department of Justice said a Pennsylvania man made multiple death threats over the phone to an unnamed congressman. It is believed that the Congressman who received the threat is Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California. The threat also told a staff member in the congressman’s Washington office that he was coming to Capitol Hill with a firearm.
In July, Lee Zeldin, a Republican candidate for governor, was attacked on the campaign trail. Congresswoman and liberal Democratic Party leader Pramila Jaipal was threatened by a man with a handgun outside her home in Seattle. He was later charged with criminal stalking.
Before attacking Paul Pelosi on Friday, the suspect demanded, ‘Where’s Nancy?’ On January 6, 2021, supporters of former President Trump stormed Capitol Hill. At that time a man said, ‘Where are you, Nancy? We are looking for you.’
Attacks and threats against political leaders ahead of the midterm elections indicate that political extremism is on the rise in the United States. As the situation is critical, the law enforcement agencies have been ordered to be on high alert.
