All quiet at Roundhouse
State Capitol sees heavy police presence, no protests as legislative session, inauguration draw near
German shepherds barked beneath muzzles. Idling patrol cars hummed at blocked intersections. State police, plus their backup, flexed surveillance and firepower muscle under threat of New Mexico’s own right-wing insurrection.
While security concerns surrounding President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration and the upcoming legislative session remain, all was quiet at the locked-down Roundhouse over the weekend.
“My grandmother works in there, in the Legislature, so I have been a little bit worried that what happened in D.C. could happen here,” Jaquelyn Martinez said while walking her dog and carrying a sign about spreading love, not hate.
“I’m here to get that message out,” she said. “With the fences and the National Guard here, everything seems pretty well protected.”
Last week, the FBI warned of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitols following the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. New Mexico State Police were joined at the Roundhouse over the weekend by the New Mexico National Guard and the Santa Fe County Sheriff ’s Office as well as the Santa Fe police and fire departments, which provided a ladder engine, an ambulance and a hazmat team.
A trio of patrol cars behind concrete barriers blocked Paseo de Peralta at Don Gaspar Avenue and Old Santa Fe Trail. On Saturday, contractors installed a second layer of fencing in front of the Capitol’s main entrance.
None of the agencies revealed how many officers they had on hand or how long this level of security will persist. The scene was a stark contrast to previous years, when anyone was able to walk into the Roundhouse with a firearm.
“I was very surprised when I moved to the state 10 years ago how open the statehouse is here,” Tim Sheahan, state director of the Alzheimer’s Association, said Sunday outside the Roundhouse. “It’s always been open carry [for firearms], and anyone can always walk in and out. In other states, you went through metal detectors and stuff, which is sad to see, but that could change here.”
Since the election in November, Trump supporters have held a number of demonstrations at the Roundhouse and at the
intersection of Paseo de Peralta and Old Santa Fe Trail. In November, a man filed a police report after another man punched his car at the intersection. In December, a 66-year-old Santa Fe man said state police failed to intervene as a group of seven or eight armed men assaulted him with fists and flags. A video shared with The New Mexican showed part of the incident.
Cowboys for Trump, Bikers for Trump and the Proud Boys, a far-right group, have had a visible presence at recent rallies at the Roundhouse. The demonstrations have drawn as many as 300 people some weekends.
Legislators said last week they’re unsure if the Capitol will be closed off for the start of the 60-day legislative session Tuesday or for Biden’s inauguration Wednesday. State police said they won’t discuss in detail operational plans for continued Roundhouse security, citing safety concerns.
“We are working closely with area law enforcement partners and have significant safety and operational plans in place in the event of civil unrest where gatherings become other than peaceful,” state police spokesman Ray Wilson said in an email.
“Our presence is meant to ensure law abiding citizens may assemble peacefully and express their opinions and to ensure the security and safety of people and property.”