MA State House Braced For Unrest But No Major Protests Sunday

BOSTON —Police blocked off streets in front of the State House Sunday morning in anticipation of protests that did not come.

The FBI's Boston Division and Massachusetts State Police have said there are no specific threats to the commonwealth, even as law enforcement plan for armed protests ahead of Inauguration Day, Jan. 20.

"We continue to monitor all available intelligence, which indicates no specific threats to public safety in our state," said State police spokesperson David Procopio. "Nonetheless, we and our law enforcement partners remain prepared to protect the public’s safety and rights in cases of protest activity this weekend and throughout Inauguration week, through a multilayered security plan and information sharing."

As intelligence indicates planned protest activity on certain days over the next week, law enforcement will take "precautionary and proactive" steps to increase security "as deemed necessary," he said.

Authorities are on high alert after the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump extremists. Five people died in the riot.

"We are not in receipt of any substantiated or credible information with respect to violence associated around any of our four state capitols or any other federal buildings," FBI Boston Division's Joseph Bonavolonta told reporters late this week. "However, as we all know, intelligence can change by the second."

The FBI warned of armed protests at all 50 state capitols in the days leading up to the inauguration and after. The internal memo to law enforcement officials across the country warned of a possible uprising by an armed group planning to travel to Washington on Inauguration Day and protest efforts to remove the president from office.

This prompted Gov. Charlie Baker to send 500 Massachusetts National Guards Troops to help protect the security surrounding the inauguration.

On Beacon Hill Sunday morning, police put up layers of metal barriers around the state house blocking pedestrians from assembling directly in front of the building. Police also blocked off roads nearby to cars until late afternoon.

Throughout the morning there were joggers, tourists and neighbors walking through the Boston Common, but no protesters were visible, as five bright yellow buses filled with police arrived just before noon.

Police said they had no specific time they expected protests, but said barriers would remain for the day. Police reopened the roads to cars after 3 p.m.

Some businesses had boarded up windows, and workers outside the State House were fortifying windows there as well.