Topline
Responding to “credible threats” ahead of next week’s Inauguration, Michigan is sending National Guard troops to its capital of Lansing and calling off legislative sessions for part of the week amid warnings of armed pre-Inauguration protests planned for all 50 states.
Several hundred supporters of President Donald Trump gather to protest the election results at the ... [+]
Key Facts
Michigan is on edge due to several possible threats: Far-right groups like the Proud Boys are planning armed marches in Lansing over the weekend, legislative leaders issued a vague warning of “credible threats” next week, and the State Capitol building was shut down last Thursday due to an early morning bomb scare.
In response, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer deployed the National Guard to Lansing, legislative sessions are canceled for part of Inauguration week, and workers are boarding up windows in state office buildings, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday.
Several other states are making similar moves, though not all are in reaction to specific threats: Oregon is delaying the start of its legislative session (which was slated to begin Tuesday), Pennsylvania is closing its State Capitol building for part of the week, and Kentucky’s capitol grounds will be off-limits for the entire day on Sunday.
California and several other states have placed National Guard troops on active duty to assist with security in their capital cities, and states like Minnesota and Oklahoma are promising a hefty police presence in the leadup to the Inauguration.
Surprising Fact
Last April, people with guns stormed into Michigan’s State Capitol to protest Covid-19 restrictions while lawmakers were in session. Months later, two of the protesters were arrested for plotting to kidnap Whitmer. The state tightened its rules on guns in the Capitol last week, but Attorney General Dana Nessel fears there’s still a risk of violence, telling a local TV station last week the Capitol is “not safe.”
Key Background
Still reeling from last week’s occupation of the U.S. Capitol, federal law enforcement officials are warning about the potential for violence nationwide in the runup to President-elect Joe Biden’s Inauguration next week. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reportedly sent out a bulletin earlier this week suggesting that armed protests are being planned in all 50 state capitals starting Sunday, and FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday his agency is monitoring “concerning online chatter” from extremist groups.
Tangent
Federal officials say some right-wing extremist groups are also openly discussing dangerous actions in Washington, D.C. during Biden’s Inauguration. To prepare, the National Mall will be off-limits through Inauguration Day, the Secret Service is tightening security, and more than 20,000 National Guard troops will help patrol the nation’s capital.
Further Reading
Fearing specter of extremist violence, governors plan for National Guard at home (Washington Post)
