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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The FBI is warning all 50 state capitols and Washington D.C. of plans for armed protests ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Bruce Gordon with Minnesota Department of Public Safety released this statement Monday about how the state is preparing:
In addition to the fence around the Minnesota Capitol that has been in place since last summer, the State Patrol has increased its presence to respond to various threats and prevent unlawful entry into the building. We are aware of the national reports of potential insurrection and are tracking possible protest activity as we stand ready to guard the Capitol and protect state employees from harm. We will continue to enhance our response and change tactics as needed. We have been working in partnership with St. Paul Police, Ramsey County Sheriff and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers.
Minnesota’s State Capitol has been and continues to be a safe place to conduct the important work of our state. While we support Minnesotans’ First Amendment rights to peacefully protest, anyone involved in illegal activity will be held accountable.
State leaders during a legislative forum Monday sparred over both the riot last week at the U.S. Capitol and the protest on the same day in St. Paul. That event didn’t turn violent. It was enough to prompt unprecedented security measures for the governor’s family.
Tensions ran high during a legislative panel discussion, hosted by Forum News Service. Republican legislative leaders Sen. Paul Gazelka and Rep. Kurt Daudt both condemned the violence in Washington after an angry pro-Trump mob stormed the capitol. But they repeatedly hearkened back to the riots in wake of George Floyd’s death, and reprimanded DFL leaders for not adequately denouncing the violence that unfolded over the summer.
RELATED: House Leaders Call On 6 Republican Representatives To Renounce Violent Rhetoric
“And to me, you can’t have it both ways. We’ve spent how many minutes now talking about this issue in Washington D.C., when Democrats in the state have turned a blind eye to violence, inciting violence protesting, that is violent right in our own communities,” Gazelka said.
Democrats were quick to rebuke Republicans in return. Gov. Tim Walz called the comparison by the GOP a “false equivalency,” and was so disappointed in the conversation he threatened to leave the forum early.
DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman said her caucus will be investigating the six GOP House members who attended a local “Storm the Capitol” protest in St. Paul last Wednesday, and said they should renounce violent rhetoric — or be held accountable
“We’re investigating whether there were Minnesota House of Representatives who advocated for or incited or supported acts of domestic terrorism,” Hortman said.
By Monday afternoon, all 59 members of the Minnesota House GOP condemned the violent rhetoric during the St. Paul protest and called for an investigation. Sen. Gazelka also released this statement:
Today we learned threats against the Governor last week led to an evacuation of the Governor’s residence. We also learned there are threats targeting state capitols across the nation. Threats against elected officials, public or private property are not acceptable. Any threat made to intimidate democracy is reprehensible, no matter who it comes from. That’s why I made comments this morning that we all must ‘lower the tone.’ You may feel angry, or feel you have been wronged, but that is never an excuse for violent language or destructive behavior.
Although it didn’t turn violent, the rally was so troubling to the Minnesota State Patrol that they moved Gov. Walz’s teenage son to a safer location.
“I take real umbrage with the idea that what happened here at our Capitol on Wednesday was OK, because the result of that in that language of taking the governor and his family prisoner, and there may be casualties resulted,” Walz said. “For the first time the state patrol entering the living quarters and removing my 14-year-old son to a safe location, as he’s crying looking for his dog, wondering what’s going on.”
The Minnesota National Guard has been called on to help support presidential inauguration activities in Washington D.C. on Jan. 20. The guard expects to get mission details later this week.
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