State workers to work at home after DC riot
DPS erects fences ‘out of an abundance of caution’
Gov. Doug Ducey’s office directed state workers to avoid the Arizona Capitol complex on Thursday, advising agency directors to grant administrative leave to employees unable to work remotely.
The request came at the Department of Public Safety’s urging, according to an internal email shared with The Arizona Republic. DPS also asked the Arizona Supreme Court to allow only “critical staff” into the building Thursday, a court spokesman said.
DPS officials on Wednesday had erected fencing around state buildings “out of an abundance of caution” after rioters in Washington, D.C., breached the U.S. Capitol.
A parallel demonstration at the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday was comparatively calm, though protesters cracked at least one window while banging on a locked door.
DPS spokesman Bart Graves told The Republic the additional safety precautions did not come in response to “any one specific event” but were meant “to ensure the safety of the public.”
Officials already had ramped up security at the state Capitol last month, as Arizona’s 11 presidential electors prepared to cast their votes for Democrats
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Anger over a “stolen” election — a claim for which county, state and federal courts found no evidence — had spurred protests on Capitol grounds, threats against Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and calls for demonstrations outside the home of House Speaker Rusty Bowers.
Ahead of the elector ceremony, some entrances to the Executive Office Tower were closed, with police stationed outside the building. Visitors needed appointments to access the floors that house the offices of the governor and secretary of state.
The location of the ceremony was kept under wraps, and ultimately took place at the Phoenix Convention Center.