Name: Heavy security at Capitol in Hartford for potential violence by Trump backers met with calm, quiet
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Heavy security at Capitol in Hartford for potential violence by Trump backers met with calm, quiet

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AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantJan 17, 2021 at 10:10 amA host of Connecticut law enforcement officers Sunday swarmed the state Capitol grounds in Hartford — closing Capitol Avenue, barricading the entrance to the Capitol and standing guard outside of the Capitol complex buildings — in preparation for the possibility of violence by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.But the massive coordination and preparation ultimately faced no challenges, as only a handful of protesters — none of them pro-Trump — showed up at the Capitol.AdvertisementThe stepped-up security was sparked by an FBI warning that state capitols could face attack in the wake of the Jan. 6 assault on the nation’s Capitol in Washington, D.C., by seditionists who continue to claim Trump won the November 2020 presidential election over President-elect Joe Biden.Good morning Connecticut! and I are at the state Capitol today.There’s a *massive* police presence at the Capitol grounds and barricades around the Capitol building itself.Aside from police, it’s eerily quiet. — Emily Brindley (@em_brindley)While there were no specific threats against the Capitol in Hartford, state officials deployed a heavy presence. Roads surrounding the Capitol building were closed to the public for several hours, starting at 10 a.m. Armored vehicles stood in front of the nearby Legislative Office Building. Police stood sentry outside of the locked buildings in the Capitol complex.AdvertisementBut aside from police and reporters, the Capitol grounds remained quiet. A teenager who believes the state should relax COVID-19 restrictions showed up with his grandfather; a handful of counterprotesters were also on site.Although the officers ultimately had little to do Sunday, Brian Foley, spokesperson for the state Department of Emergency Service and Public Protection, said the state would rather err on the side of caution.“I’d rather be talking ... about overpreparing than lamenting that we underprepared,” Foley said. “It basically was an insurance policy to protect the integrity of our democracy and to protect the integrity of law enforcement’s ability to protect it.”The lack of protest activity on Sunday may also have been influenced by state and local law enforcement officials’ repeated calls for quiet — and for people to stay away from Hartford. Law enforcement across the state, as well as state officials such as Gov. Ned Lamont, have warned against violence in recent days.As it happensGet the latest updates on Coronavirus and other breaking news events happening across Connecticut &gt; “We don’t want protesters coming out right now. We certainly don’t want ... counterdemonstrations coming,” Lamont said. “This is a very edgy time between now through the inaugural.”Foley said that the law enforcement presence at the Capitol, and at other high-profile sites across the state, will continue at least through the inauguration on Wednesday. He said the security level will be “scaled back” but that law enforcement is “still watching.”The quiet in Hartford was mirrored in many capital cities across the nation, where police had similarly prepared for potential unrest. But some state capitols saw more activity.Armed protesters converged on the capitols in Michigan, Ohio, Oregon and Texas, according to . Not all of the armed protesters were pro-Trump, though — some of those gathered outside of the of the Columbus, Ohio, Statehouse had arrived for a gun rights rally organized by the local chapter of the Boogaloo Boys, according to The Times.AdvertisementA name given by one of the protesters has been removed from this version of the story.This story has been updated.Emily Brindley can be reached at . Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantJan 17, 2021 at 10:10 amA host of Connecticut law enforcement officers Sunday swarmed the state Capitol grounds in Hartford — closing Capitol Avenue, barricading the entrance to the Capitol and standing guard outside of the Capitol complex buildings — in preparation for the possibility of violence by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.But the massive coordination and preparation ultimately faced no challenges, as only a handful of protesters — none of them pro-Trump — showed up at the Capitol.AdvertisementThe stepped-up security was sparked by an...

Heavy security at Capitol in Hartford for potential violence by Trump backers met with calm, quiet

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