Streets Closed Near Capitol As IL Braces For Possible Riots

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Armed members of the Illinois National Guard were spotted near the Illinois State Capitol on Sunday morning as local officials closed down streets around the building in Springfield.

The latest from Springfield comes after an overall quiet weekend amid fears that armed protestors may show up. The barricades were put up early Sunday morning as a heavy police presence could be seen around the statehouse, the State-Journal Register is reporting. In addition, authorities were working to get Springfield Police surveillance cameras up.

The FBI warned last week that political violence may be on the horizon following a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and President Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment on a single charge that he incited it. The FBI said armed protests could erupt at the Illinois State Capitol and at statehouses in all 50 states in the days leading up to Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

On Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced he'd be sending 250 members of the Illinois National Guard to the State Capitol in response to the warnings of armed protests. Pritzker announced in an updated press release over the weekend that 100 additional guardsmen and women would be headed to Washington, D.C. following a request by the U.S. Department of Defense to offer more help.

They will join about 200 Illinois National Guard troops already there and more than 20,000 others from all across the country.

Officials said the National Guard will not interfere with peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights, but will aid local authorities in enforcing street closures and maintaining designated perimeters.

"Our state public safety agencies, including the Illinois State Police (ISP), Secretary of State Police and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are working in tandem with local and federal counterparts to protect the residents of Illinois while safeguarding the right to peaceful protest," the governor's office said in a news release Friday morning.

Pritzker said Illinois State Police are “well aware” of the possibility for unrest at the state capitol. In a statement calling for Trump’s impeachment and removal, Pritzker decried the violence in Washington, D.C., and called for measures to secure the Illinois Capitol.

“I had to ask the Illinois State Police and other law enforcement resources, engaged in important life-saving missions, to redeploy to heighten their presence at government buildings and the Capitol in Springfield,” he said in a statement.

Officials declined to comment on specific security measures being taken, but state police said they are “tracking possible events at the Illinois Capitol building this weekend” and will work with local law enforcement to respond to threats across the state.

On Saturday, a peaceful "Save the State" rally started at noon outside the Capitol. Two people were on hand at the rally — a planned move by organizers to keep the event small in the hopes of quelling any unrest. Meanwhile, those at the statehouse watched as portions of the building was boarded up.

The FBI said it wouldn’t be necessarily looking at peaceful protests this weekend but would focus instead “on those threatening their safety and the safety of other citizens with violence and destruction of property,” The Associated Press reported.

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have banned many extreme right-wing groups and Trump himself, but some groups have migrated to encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram and Signal. The FBI is monitoring such platforms about any plans by Trump extremists to form perimeters around the U.S. Capitol, the White House and the Supreme Court building as Biden takes the oath of office.

“While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI is supporting our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners with maintaining public safety in the communities we serve,” bureau officials said in a statement, according to multiple reports. “Our efforts are focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals that are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity.”

Several Illinois residents have been arrested — and some fired — after federal authorities said they took part in storming the U.S. Capitol.

Pritzker blamed Trump for “his efforts to encourage a coup,” calling it “high treason to this democracy, our Constitution and all Americans,” adding that Trump “poses a danger to our nation” who “must be impeached and removed from office immediately.”

Trump on Wednesday became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. The historic vote took place just one week after a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent insurrection that left five dead.

Trump blamed Democrats for the charged political climate, saying Tuesday ahead of the historic House proceeding that “this impeachment is causing tremendous anger” and “it’s a terrible thing that they’re doing.”

“For [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi and [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer to continue on this path, I think it’s causing tremendous danger to our country, and it’s causing tremendous anger,” he said. “I want no violence.”

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