Area around state Capitol quiet as Springfield prepares for 'armed protests'

The area around the Illinois State Capitol was relatively quiet Saturday as state and local law enforcement and members of the Illinois National Guard prepared for "armed protests" ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. 

Earlier this week, the FBI issued an intelligence bulletin warning of "armed protests" being planned at all 50 state capitols.

It comes just over a week after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's Electoral College victory and resulting in the deaths of five people and significant damage to federal property. 

A "Save Our State" protest rally was scheduled for the state Capitol at noon Saturday. Just after that time, two protesters were in front of the Capitol. They were outnumbered by 10 members of the news media.

Emily Cahill, one of the organizers, said they have protested outside the state Capitol every Saturday since the election. Attendance typically ranges from a few dozen to a few hundred. 

But, Cahill, a Plainfield resident and Trump supporter, said she told folks that typically attend to stay away Saturday. 

"My normal followers, I created an event up in the Chicagoland area for them to go to today instead of coming down here because I can control myself and we can control what we do, but we can't necessarily control what goes on around us," Cahill said. "So if there was too many people around and say an agitator was to come into the situation and escalate it, I would hate to see somebody get hurt that I actually really care about it." 

As the two protesters stood in front of the Abraham Lincoln statue at Second Street and Capitol Avenue with their "Back the Blue" sign, work continued behind on boarding up the state Capitol in anticipation of protests in the coming days. 

Henry Haupt, spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of State's office, said the Capitol Police and other agencies are "fully aware of possible marches on state capitols."

"While we don’t discuss staffing levels or security protocols, I can confirm that the Secretary of State Capitol Police are remaining vigilant and taking every measure available to ensure the Capitol Complex is safe and secure," Haupt said. "This includes, out of an abundance of caution, temporarily affixing plywood over certain windows of the Capitol Building."

Backing up law enforcement will be 250 members of the Illinois National Guard, who were activated by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday to help with security of state buildings in downtown Springfield.

Maj. Gen. Richard Neely, the adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard, said in a Saturday press conference that members of the Guard would play a supporting role backing up state and local law enforcement.

"Our goal is not to have direct engagement with citizens, but our soldiers and airmen are trained in non-lethal tactics to support if requested to do so," Neely said. "But our engagements are really more about supporting checkpoints and assisting law enforcement where they may be needed."

Preparations were being made around the Capitol Complex for protests, with "road closed" signs ready to be deployed in anticipation of street closures and Springfield Police surveillance cameras placed in strategic areas. 

Neely said the the National Guard will be visible around the state Capitol.

"We're all about First Amendment rights, but they need to be peaceful protests and demonstrations," Neely said. "And that's what we would ask is that if people come out and execute their First Amendment rights, that they remain peaceful."