COLOMBIA – With a reinforced police presence around the state capital before this week’s inauguration, a man was arrested on Sunday two blocks from the Statehouse after a gun was found in a vehicle, officials said.
University of South Carolina police stopped a car at around 9 am at the intersection of Assembly and Washington streets in the city center, where a passenger was found in illegal possession of a gun, school spokesman Jeff Stensland said.
The case remains under investigation and no further details have been released. The arrest comes after an FBI alert warning of possible armed protests in Washington, DC, and in all capitals until Wednesday, when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in.
Sunday morning’s arrest came just hours before a small demonstration on Statehouse grounds to protest social media sites by removing some conservative accounts, including that of President Donald Trump, and refusing to host conservative sites, such as Parler. About 50 people attended the rally, which remained peaceful.
A protest by critics of social media companies that block conservative accounts, including President Donald Trump, held a rally on Sunday at SC Statehouse in Columbia. John A. Carlos II / Special for Post and Courier Columbia
Officers from the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, State Law Enforcement Division, SC Highway Patrol and the state’s Department of Protection Services were among those patrolling the scene. They wore armor and some carried rifles. Some officers were posted outside Governor Henry McMaster’s office, and barricades were erected around the House of State.
No arrests or incidents at Statehouse facilities have been reported, said the SC Department of Public Security.
Earlier this week, law enforcement agencies in the capital region said there would be a greater presence of police in the city center by Wednesday.
“Police officers know what to look for – public safety is a top priority,” the city police tweeted on Sunday.
The department posted on social media that police could stop drivers or pedestrians to “facilitate safety” in the coming days, offering advice to cooperate with authorities.
Law enforcement officials watch a protest from critics of social media companies that block conservative accounts, including President Donald Trump, during a rally on Sunday at SC Statehouse in Columbia. John A. Carlos II / Special for The Free Times
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