US Supreme Court justices describe bulletproof vests and 'swatting' hoax
US Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan testified before Congress to request a $228 million security budget increase. The justices cited rising threats, including swatting incidents and cyber-attacks, as reasons for the 53% funding hike.
Why it matters
The request underscores the increasing polarization of American politics and the physical risks faced by high-level judicial officials in the current climate.
Figure caption, Watch: Justice Amy Coney Barrett describes "intense" life threats to her and family
Two US Supreme Court justices have been lobbying Congress for millions in extra security funding for themselves and their colleagues to help protect them from a rise in threats to their safety.
The court's request of $228m (£170.3m) is a 53% increase from last year - most of which is being sought for strengthened security.
"The threat level is really high," Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative, said on Tuesday during a rare public appearance by members of the court before the House committee.
She and fellow Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal, spoke of rising AI-fuelled cyber-attacks, the threat of drones, and heightened concerns about the effects of an increasingly polarised America.
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