COLUMBUS, Ohio—More than 50 protesters, a few carrying assault-style rifles, demonstrated in front of a heavily defended Ohio Statehouse on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon.
The protest, one of dozens authorities prepared for to be held at state capitals around the nation, comes three days before President Donald Trump is set to leave office despite his continued lie that President-elect Joe Biden won only because of election fraud. Political tensions are high across the country, and Gov. Mike DeWine mobilized the Ohio National Guard to protect the Statehouse and other state buildings in downtown Columbus.
As of early Sunday afternoon, the Ohio Statehouse protest appeared fairly disorganized. Demonstrators milled around the west side the building, some waving signs and flags, some other carrying guns. A handful of pro-Biden demonstrators were nearby, as was a large man dancing while wearing headphones and a “Dancing For Peace” shirt.
A handful of people wore pro-Trump apparel. A group of demonstrators were heavily armed and dressed in the garb of the “Boogaloo” right-wing survivalist movement. A small group marched in formation into the crowd with flags waving, carrying openly displayed AR-style rifles. A few with assault weapons were dressed in military-style camouflage. A significant number of those in the crowd appeared to be members of the media.
By 1:30 p.m., many people had left, and a large portion of those remaining appeared to be “Black Lives Matter” or anti-Trump demonstrators. The crowd had largely dissipated by 2 p.m.
The Ohio Statehouse itself was closed on Sunday in anticipation of the protest. The building was completely fenced off, and dozens of State Highway Patrol troopers and other law-enforcement officers made a show of force in front of the Statehouse and nearby statues. Members of the National Guard also helped encircle the building, and several military Humvees with mounted heavy machine guns were parked on the Statehouse grounds and nearby.
For several days, state and local authorities have been preparing for armed, pro-Trump protests this weekend following the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on Jan. 6.
The governor is also sending 1,000 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. for Biden’s inauguration next Wednesday.
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January 18, 2021 at 02:07AM
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Demonstrators, some armed, gather outside Ohio Statehouse - cleveland.com
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