Armed Group Protests Outside Home Of Michigan Secretary of State

MICHIGAN — A group of armed election demonstrators gathered outside the home of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Saturday night, protesting the state's Nov. 3 election results that saw Democratic President-elect Joe Biden defeat President Donald Trump by more than 154,000 votes.

Benson said the protesters showed up after her family had finished decorating their house for Christmas. She said the group shouted obscenities and chanted into bullhorns.

"I have always been an energetic advocate for the right and importance of peaceful protest as enshrined in the United States Constitution," Benson said in a statement released Sunday evening. "However there is a line crossed when gatherings are done with the primary purpose of intimidation of public officials who are carrying out the oath of office they solemnly took as elected officials."

Michigan State Police officials told The Detroit News that troopers responded to Benson's home shortly after 10 p.m. and found about 24 people outside the home. They eventually departed, however.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy released a joint statement Sunday accusing the group of "mob-like behavior" and added that terrorizing children and families at home is not activism.

"They shouted baseless conspiracy theories about the election, and in videos uploaded to social media, at least one individual could be heard shouting 'you’re murderers' within earshot of her child’s bedroom," the prosecutors said in the statement. "This mob-like behavior is an affront to basic morality and decency. In a civil society, there are many ways to peaceably assemble and demonstrate.

"Anyone can air legitimate grievances to Secretary Benson’s office through civil and democratic means, but terrorizing children and families at their own homes is not activism. This disturbing behavior masquerading as protest should be called out for what it is and roundly condemned by citizens and public officials alike."

Benson said the protesters are just the latest of people attempting to cloud election results and spread false information about the security and accuracy of the November general election.

"The demands made outside my home were unambiguous, loud and threatening," she said. "They targeted me in my role as Michigan's Chief Election Officer. But the threats of those gathered weren't actually aimed at me — or any other election officials in this state. They were aimed at the voters."