Governor activates National Guard in Springfield Ron DeBrock Hearst Illinois FacebookTwitterEmail Crews place plywood over windows at the Capitol in Springfield on Friday amid FBI warnings of potential armed protests leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.Peter Hancock | Capitol News Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday activated 250 members of the Illinois National Guard for state buildings in Springfield in response to FBI warnings about threats to state capital cities in the days leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Henry Haupt, spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of State, said no permits were requested or issued for potential demonstrations, but “Capitol Police, along with other law enforcement agencies, are fully aware of possible marches on state capitols.”