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- Small groups of armed protesters showed up at the state capitols in Ohio, Texas, Oregon, and Michigan on Sunday.
- There were no reports of violence or arrests at any of the protests.
- The protests come as states and cities ramp up security ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.
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Armed protesters showed up to the state capitol buildings of Ohio, Texas, Oregon, and Michigan on Sunday ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Cities and states are gearing up security after an FBI bulletin warned that in the days leading up to the inauguration, “armed protests” are expected to take place at the US Capitol and state capitols across the country.
The violence comes after supporters of President Donald Trump breached the US Capitol and clashed with law enforcement, halting the joint session of Congress as lawmakers were debating challenges to electoral votes on January 6. The clashes resulted in the deaths of five people.
The New York Times previously reported that National Guard troops were deployed to the capitols of at least 19 states following the FBI memo.
More than 50 armed protesters, including members of the “boogaloo” movement, a far-right anti-government extremist group, showed up at the Ohio statehouse, the Columbus Dispatch reported. The paper reported that no violence ensued.
In Michigan, no more than 20 protesters, most of whom identified as part of the boogaloo movement, showed up at the State Capitol in Lansing, the Detroit Free Press reported.
In Oregon, a "handful" of protesters showed up at the statehouse in Salem, including some who donned Hawaiian shirts, symbolic of the boogaloo movement, The Oregonian reported.
A small group of protesters, including some who were armed, also showed up at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, KXAN reported.