Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox announced Thursday he has declared a state of emergency for the Utah Capitol ahead of planned protests this weekend.
The news comes just over a week after some supporters of President Donald Trump stormed into the U.S. Capitol in Washington to disrupt the counting of electoral votes to formalize President-elect Joe Biden's election victory. The riots resulted in five deaths, including that of a Capitol Police officer.
In a release, Cox said the state will not tolerate violence "of any kind" at the Utah Capitol.
"We respect the right of Utah residents to peaceably assemble as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution," said Cox. "But we draw the line at threats to physical safety or to the Utah Capitol building."
Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Nick Street confirmed Wednesday that some Utah lawmakers have received credible threats against them. The Highway Patrol is responsible for Capitol security.
The release says Cox has asked the UHP, the Utah National Guard and area police departments to "stand ready to ensure the safety of lives and property."
"At this moment in time, we're not aware of any specific and substantiated threats here in Utah, but we are working very closely, like we always do, with our federal, state and local partners sharing information," said Dave Fitzgibbons, FBI assistant special agent in charge in Salt Lake City.
Cox has urged Utahns to accept the presidential election results and move forward with a peaceful transition of power since Biden was projected to win the election in November. Trump has maintained since then, without evidence, that victory was stolen from him and urged his supporters to march to the U.S. Capitol in a speech on Jan. 6, after which some of them battled police officers and forcibly entered the building.
Trump was impeached for a second time this week, accused of inciting the mob to violence.
Since the U.S. Capitol riot, rumors of additional protests across the country have flooded social media and are being monitored by law enforcement. The UHP confirmed this week that permits for peaceful Capitol protests have been requested for the coming days and weeks.
"We will be plugged in," Fitzgibbons said. "We'll say that we have a command post set up."
The state of emergency on Capitol Hill runs from Jan. 15 through Jan. 21.
Contributing: Dennis Romboy, Deseret News
