Visible increased security at Minnesota capitol as pro-Trump group rallies on Saturday
By Paul Blume and FOX 9 Staff
Published article
Members of the pro-Trump group stand outside the Minnesota State Capitol building on Saturday, January 16, 2021, as law enforcement stands guard in the distance.
(FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A group rallying at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Saturday was met with a large show of force by law enforcement agencies, amid safety concerns across the country.
The extra law enforcement didn’t stop the small group of pro-Trump supporters from what has become a weekly gathering of speeches and prayer, dubbed Freedom Fest.
Law enforcement and journalists outnumbered protesters at Minnesota s Capitol building for a second consecutive day.
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Forum News Service | 3:41 pm, Jan. 17, 2021 ×
An attendee holds a flag that reads don t tread on me in front of the state Capitol building while law enforcement officers guard the complex Sunday Jan. 17 in St. Paul. An informal worship service that consisted of about five attendees organized by Hold the Line, Minnesota took place on the complex that day to pray for President Donald Trump and other elected officials.
Erica Dischino / Forum News Service
ST. PAUL A large security force including the Minnesota National Guard were prepared Sunday, Jan. 17, following previous reports of potential violence at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul.
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St Paul (KROC AM News) - It seemed like a daily event in 2020 - the activation of the Minnesota National Guard. And numbers show it came pretty close to reality.
A Guard spokesperson says a summary of its 2020 activities shows
“it was a historic year!”
Public Affairs Officer Melanie Nelson has this summary:
MNG conducted more than 700 missions in support of civil authorities and organizations like the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, city and county law enforcement agencies, and the Minnesota Department of Health. The missions took place in 87 counties.
Approximately 60 missions were in support of civil unrest response operations
The state said it would maintain a strong law enforcement presence at the complex and elsewhere in the event that rallies or other gatherings break the peace.
UpdatedSun, Jan 17, 2021 at 7:09 pm ET
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Donald Trump supporters gather around the Michigan State Capitol Building to protest the certification of Joe Biden as the next president of the United States. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)
ACROSS AMERICA As small groups of armed protesters approached some state capitols across the country on Sunday, the nation remains on high alert in the days ahead of the inauguration and in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. capitol.
A small group of them gatehered outside the Michigan Capitol early Sunday, but left by the early afternoon. The group was limited to 10-20 demonstrators, who were far outnumbered by police, according to reports.