Armed with rifles, tactical equipment and floral outfits, a handful of self-identified “boogaloo boys” demonstrated in front of the Capitol in Lansing, under police and Michigan National Guard surveillance.
Timothy Teagan, 22, said the January 17 event had been planned for weeks, but most participants withdrew after news of an FBI bulletin warning that groups planned to invade state capitals across the country. Approximately 20 members of the “boogaloo” movement answered questions from the media and stayed around the Capitol lawn for a few hours before leaving without incident.
Researchers who track extremist groups describe the “boogaloo boys” as a vaguely affiliated network of activists united by their disdain for the government and a feeling that the United States is heading towards a violent civil war.
By 1:30 pm on Sunday, most of the group identified as ‘boogaloo boys’ had left the state capitol. Only a small group of protesters remained. Michigan State Police Lieutenant Michael Shaw said there were no arrests on Sunday.
The Michigan State Police increased their security at the State Capitol last week after a mob broke into the United States Capitol in an attempt to overthrow the presidential election. The FBI is coordinating with the local police to respond to threats related to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20.
The Michigan legislature will not meet next week due to “credible threats” of violence. The legislature closed the day after the January 6 riots in Washington, DC due to a bomb threat and threats also closed legislative offices when Michigan voters voted for Biden on December 14, 2020.
Teagan, who carried an AR-15 and six rounds of ammunition in his chest, said the demonstration was intended to create a forum for people across the political spectrum to discuss their views.
“We don’t want a civil war,” said Teagan. “I would love to see a peaceful revolution, a peaceful keyword. I don’t want to see bloodshed in my country. I don’t want to see our cities shattered and burned and people killed. I think one of the best ways to do that is to defend everyone’s rights, whether you agree with them or not. “
Still, Teagan said members of the Boogaloo movement see civil war “approaching inevitability”.
Less than a block away, armored National Guard vehicles were parked in a row on the west side of the Capitol building. Uniformed Michigan State Police soldiers patrolled downtown streets, and at least two helicopters could be seen flying overhead.
Shaw said the increase in police presence is accompanied by other “invisible measures” in downtown Lansing.
Several others who attended the event refused to share their name with MLive reporters. Some said they were contacted by the FBI before Sunday.
Erick Spencer, a 49-year-old resident of Ingham County, is not associated with the Boogaloo group. He is a supporter of Trump who visited the Capitol to check on the demonstration, which he says gave people the opportunity to label Republicans as “violent criminals and terrorists”.
“They reversed the script,” said Spencer. “It is not appropriate to invade the Capitol or businesses and set buildings on fire. That is not why we have been the Democratic country. “
Spencer said that the January 6 event was organized and that “it wasn’t the president’s speech that prompted him, because it would happen anyway”.
The lack of protesters surprised Spencer, who said people may have thought it was a creation of far-left groups. He places himself at the center of the political spectrum, although he supports Trump. Spencer does not believe that recent events will affect the number of people who support the Republican Party.
“You won’t get your message across when you act violently,” said Spencer. “I did not come here for a militia rally, I am not interested in that because it is just a demonstration of arms strength that will not solve anything until you enter a civil war.”
Another member of the Michigan-based boogaloo movement gave reporters a false name, identifying himself as a Maryland man who was killed by police during a no-knock operation last year. The man, who said he was from Flint, expressed complaints about the election, the orders of COVID-19 and the “tyrants” in the government.
The Flint man was carrying an AR-15 and a Glock pistol. He said he understands why people are afraid of armed protesters, but said he sees himself playing a similar role to the police in charge of keeping events safe.
“Just because they have that badge doesn’t make them any different from me,” he said.
Lansing resident Anthony Longo, 30, visited the Capitol on Sunday out of curiosity about the protest. Longo said he is not convinced that the presidential election was fair, but he does not agree with the tactics of the “insurrectionists” who invaded the Capitol earlier this month.
Longo carried pepper spray in his jacket pocket. He said he understands why people may be concerned about the potential for political violence.
“Nobody talks, that’s the problem,” he said.
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