State Capitol fortified ahead of D.C. inauguration
Law enforcement and Connecticut’s military are fortifying the State Capitol grounds and also focusing on other locations in preparation for possible rallies this weekend of proTrump groups that oppose the election of Presidentelect Joe Biden.
While the potential turnout of protesters was not known on Thursday, state officials said a variety of surveillance and response resources will be available, particularly at the Capitol complex.
Metal gates have been rearranged over the last week. They were set up to keep about demonstrators away from the swearing-in ceremonies for the House and Senate on Jan. 6. State Capitol police had anticipated about 2,000 protesters and about 500 showed up for various causes — mainly opposing mandatory traditional vaccines for schoolchildren, coronavirus shutdown rules and Biden’s election.
This weekend’s possible turnout is even more vague. Unlike last week’s protests, where rally organizers let law enforcement know of their plans, the local response to the national pro-Trump socialmedia effort for a noon rally Sunday entirely unclear.
“The structure of this event is not as well-organized as a typical protest you see at the State Capitol,” Brian Foley, assistant to the commissioner at the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said Thursday.
Concerns heightened earlier this week when social media sites monitored by the FBI showed national calls for protesters to descend on state Capitols, “armed at your own discretion.” A confidential bulletin from the FBI to local and state police was obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.
Foley declined to detail the kind of intelligence that local, state and federal officials have been sharing. “We can only prepare as best as we can. The safety of people, property and infrastructure is our greatest concern.”
Foley said there have been no requests as yet for access to a public address system for outside the Capitol, a traditional location for NCAA basketball championship celebrations, and most-notably the 1991 rally against the state income tax that attracted tens of thousands of people.
“We’ll be set up well in advance,” Foley said. “We have mobility.” The protest could be complicated by the fact that while firearms are prohibited in the adjacent Bushnell Park, they are allowed outside the Capitol, which has been the site of pro-firearms demonstrations, notably in 2013 before then Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed new gun controls into law following the Sandy Hook massacre.
Asked whether officials are concerned that State Troopers or other law enforcement might fail to enforce laws out of sympathy for Trump’s position, Foley said hiring and training is set up to make sure all personnel protect the public.
“That should be a concern for all police administrators, from smaller labor actions to large-scale protests,” Foley said. “Some of the ways those things are addressed are through the background investigations when they hire somebody. Training is ongoing throughout their careers, so they can stay unbiased and professional.”
Police will have video cameras and drones observing the rally, if people show up. “I have complete confidence in our preparations and complete confidence in our response,” said Foley, admitting that the shutdown of some social media platforms since the Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol, has slightly hindered intelligence gathering.
Gov. Ned Lamont said during his news briefing on Thursday that spectators should stay away from the Capitol rally.
“We are prepared with our [National] Guard, the municipal police, the Capitol Police and we’re going to be very clear to people: stay safe, stay home,” Lamont said. “We don’t want protesters coming out right now. We certainly don’t want people in counter-demonstrations coming. We don’t want people rubber-necking, just coming out to see what’s happening. This is a very edgy time between now through the inaugural, so I urge people to be careful, but be ready.”
Earlier in the week, 100 members of the Connecticut National Guard were dispatched to Washington, D.C. to assist leading up to and during the Biden inauguration. In Connecticut, the guard has been advised to be ready to support state police and the State Capitol building, which is about 200 yards from the Gov. William A. O’Neill Armory.