NJ Remains On High Alert For Potential Inauguration Day Unrest

NEW JERSEY — The possibility of armed protests in Trenton that resulted in heavy security presence at the state capitol never materialized on Sunday, but officials remained on alert for further violence following the riots at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6.

Although there is no credible threat to Trenton, New Jersey State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said there would be troopers in the state capitol on Wednesday.

"Given some of the — although no credible threat —just some of the things we've seen in the past few weeks, we will be ready with a contingency of troopers here as well," New Jersey State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said during a news conference Tuesday.

New Jersey also sent 45 troopers to D.C. to help with beefed-up security measures at the inauguration, in which 25,000 National Guard troops were to watch over the swearing-in of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

The inauguration protests on Wednesday have been called alternatively a "Million Militia March" or a "Million Martyr March" by organizers online.

"We will come in numbers that no standing army or police agency can match," one Parler post read, published immediately following the Capitol riots. "However, the police are NOT Our enemy, unless they choose to be!"

Murphy said on Tuesday that they planned to visit with the troops stationed in D.C.

“But they're not down with their feet up,” Murphy said. “We found out, we said hey, can we come by and say hi? They’re on the graveyard shift, at least some of them are, 2 a.m. We don't want to get in the midst of getting their rightful rest and getting ready for that.”

Protests were expected in Trenton, but Callahan said they didn't materialize. “We were certainly prepared with all of our partners around the state and was glad to report that that did end without incident," he said.

Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora told NJ.com on Sunday there was great relief that nothing panned out, and that there were more “skateboarders than protesters.” One protester who showed up briefly told the news outlet that the protest was “kind of a bust.”

But while the threats did not pan out, officials remain alert for any Inauguration Day unrest. Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that the state offices would operate remotely on Wednesday. Read more here: NJ Takes New Security Steps Due To Potential Capitol Violence

The riots that spawned the warning of protests across all 50 states resulted in the deaths of five people, including a Capitol Police officer who grew up in South River who was killed by rioters. Read more here: Federal Probe Opened Into Capitol Hill Riot Death Of Cop From NJ

More than 100 people have been charged in the riots, and President Donald Trump was impeached for a second time over accusations he incited the riots. A man from Cape May and a man from Ewing have been arrested in connection with the riots. Read more here: 2 NJ Men At Capitol Riots Arrested So Far: Here's What We Know

A high profile right-wing activist from Burlington County was also seen on video encouraging others amid the riots outside the capitol on Jan. 6. Read more here: Video Shows Burlington County Woman Amid D.C. Riots