Armed protesters begin to appear on Utah Capitol

Armed protesters begin to appear on Utah Capitol

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12:30 • Approximately 15 anti-government protesters arrived at the Utah Capitol.

Meanwhile, National Guard forces, like dozens of other police officials, are on standby should the demonstration become violent. State troops are lining up on the steps of the State House.

The south side of the Capitol is open to the staircase that leads to the south entrance. The rest of the land is isolated. Police officers are taking a dog to sniff the area.

A group of Boogaloo oxen is organizing the rally “We are not the enemy” Permission for the event is from 9am to 3pm. Organizer Tyson Reese said the event will remain peaceful. He said it is not a pro-Donald Trump event and instead aims to be a “morale booster” for citizens dissatisfied with the government.

Some armed protesters who arrived around 11 am did not identify themselves, saying they were the “Bois da Liberdade”. They said the event will be peaceful and that the police response is a “joke” and a waste of government money because nothing is going to happen.

Police promised that the Utah Capitol, which was closed to the public during the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday, would not be invaded. Reese said that no one will attempt to invade the Capitol at this armed rally.
Still, Governor Spencer Cox has issued a state of emergency, so officials can act quickly if things get worse.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) National Guard troops at the State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Sunday, January 17, 2021.

The Salt Lake Tribune will update this story.

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