COLUMBUS — Ohio is preparing for the potential of an “armed march” by President Trump supporters at its Statehouse this weekend, more than a week after the last protests on the grounds that coincided with the storming of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has pointed to online chatter calling generally for an “armed march” again on the Capitol as well as on all 50 state capitols on Sunday, three days before President-elect Joe Biden is to be sworn in at the Capitol.
Among the locations specifically mentioned was Columbus.
“The governor is monitoring the situation closely, receiving briefings from his public safety team,” said Dan Tierney, spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine. “The Ohio National Guard has prepared for a situation like this, but at this time they don't have any requests for assistance.
“That could change,” he said. “If they're needed, they're prepared.”
Otherwise, he said the office would not discuss security matters.
“We would not discuss any security measures, resources, or personnel used at the Ohio Statehouse for safety reasons,” Lt. Craig S. Cvetan, highway patrol spokesman, said in an email. “We work very closely with our local law enforcement partners to maintain a safe environment during Statehouse events, while allowing everyone to exercise their constitutional rights.
“Troopers will be present to keep people safe and protect the property if protest activity occurs at the Statehouse,” he said.
Roughly 200 people — some openly carrying weapons and wearing camouflage — protested on Wednesday on the grounds of the Statehouse in downtown Columbus but made no attempt to force their way into the building as was the case in Washington.
Many of those in Columbus carried pro-Trump flags and signs. Some wore T-shirts declaring their allegiance to the far-right group the Proud Boys.
At times they clashed with counter-protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement.
It is legal to openly carry firearms in Ohio, and it often occurs on Statehouse grounds. But guns — openly carried or concealed — are forbidden inside the Statehouse.
Columbus police spokesman Robin Davis said police are working with other law enforcement to ensure the security of the Statehouse and city residents.
“We have plans in place, but to avoid compromising them, we do not release our plans in advance,” he said.
Many of the windows of the Statehouse were broken during summer protests that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Many have been boarded up off and on since in anticipation of unrest.
They are currently not boarded up, but that could change, said Mike Ruppert, spokesman for the Capital Square Review and Advisory Board, which oversees Statehouse grounds.
“At this point there's nothing to announce that we're doing differently other than monitoring the situation and working with the Ohio State Highway Patrol,” he said.
The highway patrol is responsible for the security of the Statehouse and other statehouse buildings. There was a heavy presence of officers on Wednesday working their way through protesters.
On Thursday, Mr. DeWine said he could not be confident that what happened in Washington could not happen here.
“No one could say they're confident,” he said. “As soon as I saw what was happening in Washington, I got on the phone with our team of law enforcement. I talked with [Columbus] Mayor [Andrew] Ginther.
“We are looking at it,” he said. “We're coordinating. People are getting intelligence as they always do, but we're certainly aware that something could happen.”
Information from The Blade’s news services was used in this report.
First Published January 11, 2021, 10:35 p.m.
