MSP, National Guard Prepare For Michigan Capitol Protests

LANSING, MI — Michigan State Police officials held a news conference Friday morning to discuss security measures they have put in place at the state Capitol that, measures they said will remain in place until mid-February and will protect the greater downtown Lansing area from harm.

Col. Joe Gasper of the Michigan State Police said that in addition to boosting the number of uniformed officers at and near the Capitol, other safety measures — such as a fence surrounding the Capitol grounds — also have been put in place. He would not comment on some of those measures, however, noting that they are "meant to be covert."

"I assure you that we take our responsibility for safeguarding the Capitol very seriously," Gasper said Friday. "Together, with our law enforcement partners, we are prepared for the worst. But we remain hopeful that those who choose to demonstrate at our Capitol do so peacefully, without violence or destruction of property."

Read More: Whitmer Activates MI National Guard Ahead Of Weekend Protests

Gasper said Michigan State Police had been in the planning stages for protest security for 7 to 10 days. Authorities said the Capitol saw an increase in police presence on Monday and is increasing on a daily basis. Over the course of the next seven days, Gasper said, the number of law enforcement units at the Capitol will continue to increase to the point where it will be "significantly more than we've seen in the past."

"It's important that we are providing that safety and security, not only for visitors to the Capitol but also for those who are in the Capitol to make sure they feel safe," Gasper said.

The FBI and Michigan State Police told Patch in emails Tuesday that they were aware of potential protests at capitols around the nation. In response, security at Michigan's Capitol has been boosted.

While also assisting with plans in Lansing, Tim Waters with the Detroit FBI Division said the agency is investigating numerous reports relating to Michiganders with criminal involvement in the Jan. 6 riots at Capitol Hill.

The rumors of protests come just days after a large scale riot at Capitol Hill that left at least five people dead and dozens arrested. Reports from ABC, which cite an internal FBI memo that indicates there could be armed protests at capitols across the nation from Saturday to Jan. 20, the date of Biden's inauguration, don't specifically mention Michigan but refer to the potential for armed protests at state capitols around the nation.

This wouldn't be the first time armed protesters converged on the Michigan Capitol. In April, hundreds of protesters — many armed with long rifles, fixed with bulletproof vests and some with more expansive gear — walked into the Capitol building with little resistance.

Whitmer received requests from the Lansing City Council and Lansing Mayor Andy Schorr to deploy the Michigan National Guard as an extra layer of security and announced Friday morning that she would do so.

Major Gen. Paul Rodgers of the Michigan National Guard said the Guard is preparing weekend planning with other police forces, but would not say how many National Guard members were being deployed to Lansing, only saying the size of the force is "significant."

Rodgers said deploying units to the Capitol in the response to potential protests would not take away from the National Guard's role in assisting the state with its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gasper noted that authorities have discussed the potential for altering legislative schedules in Lansing for days in which it will be in session next week.

Read More: Michigan Militia Protest Planned For State Capitol Sunday: Report