- State capitols across the US prepared for violent
protests after the US Capitol siege on January 6. - Many leaders expected pro-Trump loyalists to protest President
Joe Biden 'sinauguration on Wednesday. - National Guard troops deployed to state government buildings, but hardly any protesters showed up.
State capitols across the US heavily were heavily fortified in advance of President Joe Biden's inauguration, but relatively few protesters even showed up.
On January 6, exactly two weeks before the presidential inauguration, pro-Trump rioters breached the US Capitol in a violent insurrection resulting in the deaths of several protesters and police officers. The protesters traveled from across the country to try to stop Congress from officially certifying Biden as the winner of the presidential election. They briefly took over the building, but Congress ultimately certified Biden's victory late into the night.
Some pro-Trump extremists also converged on state capitols and lawmakers' homes in several cities across the US that day, and leaders braced for more violence ahead of the inauguration.
After the Michigan capitol received bomb threats less than a week after the US Capitol insurrection, the state's attorney general declared the building unsafe.
"My job is not to provide state employees & residents or other visitors to our Capitol with a false sense of security, especially given the current state of affairs in Michigan and around the nation," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel wrote. "I repeat-the Michigan Capitol is not safe."
But for as much time and preparation that went into securing the safety of state capitols across the US for Biden's inauguration, very few protesters actually showed up. Only one state, Colorado, saw any real scuffles as protesters set an American flag aflame.
Insider collected scenes from 23 state capitols across the country from local journalists and pedestrians:
New York
—Morgan Mckay (@morganfmckay) January 20, 2021
Colorado
—Alayna Alvarez (@alaynaEalvarez) January 20, 2021
Michigan
—Jon Hewett (@JonHewettWWJ) January 20, 2021
Arizona
—Jaweed Kaleem (@jaweedkaleem) January 20, 2021
Texas
—Kacey Bowen (@KaceyonFox7) January 20, 2021
Nebraska
—Jay Shatara (@JShataraTV) January 20, 2021
Wisconsin
—Elise Romas (@EliseRomasNBC15) January 20, 2021
Washington
—Melissa Santos (@MelissaSantos1) January 20, 2021
California
—Beth LaBerge (@bethlaberge) January 20, 2021
—Vicki Gonzalez (@VickiGonzaleztv) January 20, 2021
Connecticut
—Dave Mager (@DaveMagerNews) January 20, 2021
Kentucky
—Amber Smith (@ambersmithtv) January 20, 2021
Pennsylvania
—Sean Simmers (@SeanSimmers) January 20, 2021
Tennessee
—Emily R. West (@emwest22) January 20, 2021
Georgia
—Martin Savidge (@MartinSavidge) January 20, 2021
New Hampshire
—Dan Tuohy (@tuohy) January 20, 2021
Nevada
—Colton Lochhead (@ColtonLochhead) January 20, 2021
Utah
Kansas
—Pilar Pedraza TV (@PilarPedrazaTV) January 20, 2021
North Carolina
—Brian Gordon (@BrianSamuel92) January 20, 2021
Vermont
—Kevin McCallum (@KevinMcCallum7d) January 20, 2021
Minnesota
—Dave Orrick (@DaveOrrick) January 20, 2021
New Mexico
—gabriel biadora (@gabrielbiadora) January 20, 2021
Missouri
—Jonathan Ahl (@JonathanAhl) January 20, 2021Expanded Coverage Module: capitol-siege-module