Whitmer Activates MI National Guard Ahead Of Weekend Protests

LANSING, MI — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is deploying the Michigan National Guard ahead of planned armed protests at the state Capitol this weekend and into next week leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, according to Major General Paul Rodgers of the Michigan National Guard.

Whitmer issued the order Friday morning after receiving requests from Lansing City Council and Lansing Mayor Andy Schorr to deploy the Michigan National Guard as an extra layer of security.

The FBI and Michigan State Police told Patch in emails Tuesday that they were aware of potential protests at capitols around the nation. Authorities are expected to discuss security upgrades at a news conference Friday morning.

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 Biden's inauguration on Wednesday — don't specifically mention Michigan but refer to the potential for armed protests at state capitols.

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

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.