Small groups of right-wing protesters – some of them carrying rifles – gathered outside heavily fortified state houses across the country on Sunday, outnumbered by National Guard troops and police brought in to prevent a repeat of the violence that broke out at the US Capitol. When darkness fell, there were no reports of any confrontations.
Security has been stepped up in recent days after the FBI warned of the potential for armed protests in Washington and all 50 state capitol buildings before President-elect Joe Biden took office on Wednesday.
Crowds of just a dozen or two demonstrated in some boarded-up, isolated state houses, while the streets of many other capitals remained empty. Some protesters said they were there to support President Donald Trump. Others said that, instead, they came to express their support for gun rights or condemn the government’s excess.
“I don’t trust the election results,” said Michigan protester Martin Szelag, a semi-retired window salesman from Dearborn Heights. He wore a plaque around his neck that said, in part: “We will support Joe Biden as our president if you can convince us that he won legally. Show us the proof! Then healing can begin. “
As the day passed without bloodshed in the United States, a sense of relief spread among the authorities, although they were not ready to let their guard down.
The strong police presence may have kept attendance low. In recent days, some extremists have warned others not to fall into what they call a police trap.
Washington State Patrol spokesman Chris Loftis said he hoped the seemingly peaceful day would reflect some reflection on Americans.
“I would love to say that it is because we all look sober in the mirror and decide that we are a more unified people than certain moments in time indicate,” he said.
The security measures were intended to protect government seats from the type of violence that erupted at the United States Capitol on January 6, when Trump’s far-right supporters galvanized by their false claims that the election had been stolen from him invaded the police and broke into the building while Congress certified the Electoral College’s vote.
The attack left one Capitol police officer and four others dead. More than 125 people were arrested during the insurrection.
Dozens of courts, election officials and Trump’s attorney general himself said there was no evidence of widespread fraud in the presidential race.
On Sunday, some state houses were surrounded by new security fences, their windows were boarded up and extra police were on patrol. Legislatures were generally not held over the weekend.
High fences also surrounded the United States Capitol. The National Mall was closed to the public, and the mayor of Washington asked people not to visit it. Some 25,000 National Guard soldiers from across the country are expected to arrive in the city in the next few days. US defense officials told the Associated Press that these troops would be examined by the FBI to ward off any threat of an internal attack on possession.
The approximately 20 protesters who attended the Michigan Capitol, including some armed, were significantly outnumbered by police and media members. Tensions have increased in the state since officials thwarted a plan to kidnap Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer last year.
At the Ohio State House, about two dozen people, including several carrying long weapons, protested outside under the watchful eyes of state soldiers before dispersing when it started to snow.
Kathy Sherman, who wore a visor with “Trump” printed on it, said she supported the president, but distanced herself from the crowd that invaded the United States Capitol.
“I am here to support the right to express a political view or opinion without fear of censorship, harassment or the threat of losing my job or being physically assaulted,” she said.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, said he was satisfied with the outcome, but stressed that officials “continue to worry about potential violence in the coming days, which is why I intend to maintain security levels at the Statehouse as we get closer. inauguration presidency. “
Utah’s new governor, Republican Spencer Cox, shared photos on his Twitter account showing him with what appeared to be hundreds of National Guard soldiers and police officers standing behind him, all wearing masks. Cox called the silent protests the best scenario and said that many “agitated groups” canceled their plans for the day.
At the Oregon Capitol, less than a dozen men wearing military-style clothing, black ski masks and helmets were nearby with semi-automatic weapons hanging from their bodies. Some had American flags upside down and placards saying things like “Disarm the government”.
At the Texas Capitol, Ben Hawk walked with about a dozen protesters to the locked gates carrying a megaphone and an AR-15 rifle hanging next to his camouflage pants. He condemned the insurrection on the United States Capitol and said he did not support Trump.
“All we came here for today was to discuss, get together, make contacts and leave. And it was blown up and twisted completely out of proportion, ”said Hawk.
At the Nevada Capitol, where protesters supporting Trump had met most weekends in the past few months, everything was quiet except for a lone protester with a sign.
“Trump Lost. Be an adult. Go home, ”he said.
More than a third of the governors have called on the National Guard to help protect their capitals and assist local law enforcement. Several governors declared a state of emergency and others closed their capitols to the public until after Biden took office.
Some legislatures also canceled sessions or reduced their work for the following week.
Even before the Capitol violence, some parliaments were the target of angry vandals and protesters during the past year.
Last spring, armed protesters entered the Michigan Capitol to oppose coronavirus blockades. People furious at the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer have vandalized capitol in several states, including Colorado, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.
Last month, crowds in Oregon forced entry to the Capitol in Salem to protest the closure to the public during a special legislative session on measures against the coronavirus.
Amid the potential for violence in the coming days, the windows on the first floor of the building were boarded up and the National Guard was called.
“The state capitol has become a fortress,” said Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat. “I never thought I would see this. It breaks my heart. “
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The Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri in Columbus, Ohio; Gillian Flaccus in Salem, Oregon; Mike Householder and David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington; Sam Metz in Carson City, Nevada; Marc Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
Capitol police are standing at the main entrance to the Pennsylvania State Capitol on Sunday, January 17, 2021 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (AP Photo / Jacqueline Larma)