Police briefly evacuate US Capitol, Visitors' Center

[Bosonic]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Police briefly evacuated the U.S. Capitol and its visitors' center on Tuesday as alarms sounded in both buildings.

Kimberly Schneider, a spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police, said officers investigated the cause of an audible alarm and had told people to leave the Capitol and the connecting visitors' center. Lawmakers are in recess this week for the weeklong Memorial Day break.

"There are no signs of smoke or fire," Schneider said. Within an hour after alarms had sounded, employees return to the building. Tourists were not immediately readmitted.

Police also has closed First Street between Constitution and Independent Avenues, and part of East Capitol Street.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f41b41d3f21440f0b50721066c8270c4/police-evacuate-us-capitol-visitors-center

[TwilightGardener]

1. Um...this on the heels of all the scrambled fighter jets yesterday? Unsettling.

[okaawhatever]

3. Yes, and the way they reacted to that pressure cooker told me that probably had some intel

that someone was going to try something. Plus two weeks ago we had this:

WASHINGTON (WHDH) -
United States military bases are on high alert this week amid concerns that ISIS is using social media to prompt attacks.

"We're definitely in a new phase in the global terrorist threat, where the so-called lone wolf could strike at any moment," said Jeh Johnson, the Secretary of Homeland Security.

The FBI said hundreds of people in the United States are communicating with ISIS sympathizers on social media. Elton Simpson, one of the two gunmen who attacked the Mohammed art contest in Texas, was allegedly inspired by social media messages from ISIS.

Something is definitely going on. I do feel good that they didn't succeed yesterday, which would have been the obvious choice for terrorists.

[onehandle]

2. The stink of so many Republican Congresspeople probably tripped an air sensor.

Can you imagine what Boehner smells like after his four or five morning bourbons and his 20 or 30 cigarettes?

[blackspade]

4. Why is this even news?

Alarms trip in buildings all the time. In this case for a faulty fan.

And of course there is the obligatory reference to the pressure cooker non story.

Predictable fear mongering.

[Bosonic]

5. Because this is LBN

Initially it was just a few lines about the evacuation with no details (LBN worthy). Then over time it was fleshed out and it turned out to be unimportant, so I updated it and the story sank. Much later you come along with 20/20 snidey-vision and here we are...

[blackspade]

6. Sorry, my rhetorical question was not aimed at you.

"20/20 snidey-vision"

That was funny!