Biden Inauguration: Armed protesters gather at the Virginia State Capitol as states hold tight on security ahead of inauguration

The weekend protests were quiet

But the protests were largely small, with protesters, some of whom were armed, vastly outnumbered by police.

A light snowfall fell Sunday morning in Lansing, Michigan, but an estimated 75 protesters and 40 counter-protesters appeared in the House of Representatives. Some carried firearms and bulletproof vests, but protests remained peaceful, authorities said.

“We wanted to make sure what happened in Washington didn’t happen here in Michigan,” Michigan State Police Lt. Michael Shaw told CNN, “so we put a lot more security outside, a lot more visible security than would normally be there. . ”

In Texas, about two dozen armed protesters gathered near the state Capitol in Austin, but they rallied in support of Second Amendment rights, the organizer said, not in protest of the presidential election results.

In Denver, protester Larry Woodall said he was disappointed by the low turnout in Sunday’s protest. While accepting that Biden will take office, Woodall said he wanted to show his support for Trump, and suggested that he would vote for Trump in 2024 if he ran for president again.

“Donald Trump is not a bad guy. He really is not,” Woodall told CNN, adding that he was opposed to the violence seen this month on the US Capitol.

About a dozen people, including some who had anti-Trump posters, were at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul, which was surrounded by tall, heavy fences. There were five gunmen dressed in camouflage and holding flags at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem who said they were anti-government libertarians who supported neither Trump nor Biden.

“I am a patriot, I am a veteran, I am not a racist, I am not hateful, I am not violent,” he told the station. “I’m an American and that’s it.”

The crowds that were present were just a fraction of the pro-Trump crowds that converged on Washington, DC, earlier this month, an incident that eventually escalated into an all-out riot and left five dead.

Many of Sunday’s demonstrations were overshadowed by ranks of police who stood guard to prevent a repeat of the Capitol riot.

DC is ‘like a combat zone’

“The National Guard – or the forefathers of the National Guard, the early days of the militia – have been a part of every inauguration since George Washington,” he said, “but certainly not at this level and certainly not with this guy. background noise “.

The 25,000 troop deployment is roughly double the number of National Guard members who normally participate in the inauguration, Hertling said.

“It certainly is something of a combat zone,” he said.

Rehearsal for the opening ceremony has been delayed until Monday amid heightened security concerns, Acting Under Secretary for Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli said, citing “online chatter” about the rehearsal day previously scheduled for Sunday. But he said “there are no specific credible threats.”

Guests of members of Congress will not be required to undergo security background checks this year, multiple sources told CNN on Monday. Guests typically do not have background checks for events like the grand opening because those guests tend to be spouses of members and there are other security measures in place.

Member guests will need to take a Covid-19 test. Members of Congress and their guests must go through security to enter the event.

“In order to maintain critical operational security around the 59th presidential inauguration, the US Secret Service and our law enforcement partners will not comment on the means and methods used to carry out the mission of the agency, including protection intelligence matters, “US Secret Service spokeswoman Justine Whelan told CNN in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration expanded restrictions on DC airspace, issuing an advisory to pilots restricting non-commercial and non-military flights to Dulles International Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Manassas Regional Airport between 8 a.m. and 8 pm on Opening Day.

The bulletin warned that the government “can use deadly force” against any aircraft that is determined to pose an “imminent security threat.”

“But it is being done,” he said, “to ensure that the constitutional mandate of a peaceful handover of power on January 20.”

‘I encourage you to stay home’

“It is quite clear that the (US) Capitol itself is closed as strictly as possible,” former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Sunday, adding that it was hard to imagine a repeat of the Capitol riots that take place there for years to come. days, given the security measures in force.

“But,” he added, “we have 50 state capitals across the country that are not as protected as our national Capitol, and those are the places where I fear small pockets of this type of violence could really break out.”

Minnesota officials told CNN they would “continue to assess potential threats” to their state Capitol, although Bruce Gordon, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, said there were no credible threats at the time.

Protests there were quiet Sunday, but Gordon said officials would “improve” their response and “change tactics as necessary” in the coming days.

Texas will keep its state Capitol and grounds closed until Wednesday, officials said, adding that they were aware of “violent extremists who may attempt to exploit constitutionally protected events to carry out criminal acts.”

Officials in Columbia, South Carolina, have also advised residents to stay home and stay out of downtown.

“Unless there is a need, this weekend and certainly Opening Day, to be downtown,” said Mayor Stephen Benjamin, “I encourage you to stay home.”

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency in connection with Biden’s inauguration on Friday, allowing state officials to efficiently coordinate resources to assist local jurisdictions and nearby states.

“The state of Maryland will continue to do everything possible to secure our nation’s capital,” Hogan said, “and to ensure the peaceful transition of power.”