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A few people demonstrated in some capitals, with crowds of only a dozen or two, while the streets in many other places remained empty. Some protesters have said they support President Donald Trump. But others said they did not support Trump and instead came to express their support for gun rights or oppose the government’s outrageousness.
Some state houses were surrounded by new protective fences, had closed windows, and were monitored by additional police officers. Legislatures were generally not in session during the weekend.
High fences also surrounded the United States Capitol. The National Mall was closed to the public, and the mayor of Washington asked people not to visit it. Some 25,000 National Guard troops from across the country are expected to arrive in the city in the coming days.
The security measures were aimed at protecting government seats from the type of violence that erupted on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, when far-right Trump supporters galvanized by his false claims that the election had been stolen from him took stormed the building as Congress certified the Electoral College vote.
At the Ohio Statehouse on Sunday, about two dozen people, many with long guns, demonstrated outside under the watchful eyes of state soldiers before dispersing as it began to snow .
Kathy Sherman, who wore a visor with “Trump” printed on it, said she supported the president but distanced herself from the mob that raped the U.S. Capitol.
“I am here to support the right to express a political opinion or opinion without fear of censorship, harassment or the threat of losing my job or being physically assaulted,” she said.
The 20 or so protesters who showed up at the Michigan Capitol, some of whom were armed, were clearly outnumbered by law enforcement and the media.
At the Oregon Capitol, fewer than a dozen men wearing military-style outfits, black ski masks and helmets stood nearby with semi-automatic weapons slung over their shoulder. Some had American flags upside down and signs saying “Disarm the Government”.
At the Texas Capitol, Ben Hawk marched with a dozen protesters to the locked doors, carrying a megaphone and an AR-15 rifle hanging from the side of his camouflage pants. He condemned the insurgency on Capitol Hill and said he did not support Trump.
“All we came here today was to chat, get together, network and hang out. And it was blown out and twisted completely out of proportion, ”Hawk said.
At the Nevada Capitol, where protesters supporting Trump have flocked most weekends in recent months, all was quiet except for a lone protester with a sign.
“Trump lost. Be adults. Go home, ”he said.
Authorities in some states have said they have no specific indication that protests will take place, much less that they will turn violent. Yet many state officials have vowed to be ready.
A counter-protester came early to greet protesters at the Pennsylvania Capitol, saying he had heard about the possibility of a meeting of a group of far-right activists. But no one else was there.
“I am fundamentally against the potential protesters who come here to delegitimize the elections, and I do not want to be passive in expressing my disapproval when they arrive in this city,” Stephen Rzonca said.
More than a third of the governors had called the National Guard to help protect their capital and assist local law enforcement. Several governors have declared a state of emergency and others have closed their capitals to the public until after Biden’s inauguration.
Some legislatures have also canceled sessions or reduced their work for the coming week.
Even before the violence on Capitol Hill, some state houses had been the target of vandals and angry protesters over the past year.
Last spring, armed protesters entered the Michigan Capitol to oppose coronavirus lockdowns. People angry over the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis policeman pressed a knee to his neck for several minutes, vandalized capitals in several states, including Colorado, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin .
Crowds from Oregon last month broke into the State Capitol in Salem to protest its closure to the public during a special legislative session on coronavirus measures.
Anticipating the potential for violence in the coming week, the windows on the first floor of the building were closed and the National Guard was deployed.
“The State Capitol has become a fortress,” said Oregon Senate Speaker Peter Courtney, a Democrat. “I never thought I would see this. It breaks my heart.”
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