Politics & Government

FBI Warns Of Armed Protests In Atlanta, Other State Capitals

The FBI sent a memo to authorities at all 50 state capitals, warning of possible armed protests leading up to Joe Biden's inauguration.

The FBI sent a memo to authorities at all 50 state capitals, warning of possible armed protests leading up to Joe Biden's inauguration.
The FBI sent a memo to authorities at all 50 state capitals, warning of possible armed protests leading up to Joe Biden's inauguration. ((AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File))

ATLANTA, GA — On the heels of the riots at the U.S. Capitol last week, the FBI sent a memo to authorities across the country, warning of possible armed protests at all 50 state capitol buildings leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20 — including in Atlanta.

Flyers calling for an "armed march on all state capitols" in the closing days of President Donald Trump's presidency have been circulating the internet for days, alarming researchers and security analysts tracking online threats on several social media platforms.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and other officials approved construction of a fence around the Capitol last year after racial injustice protests. Kemp has also kept a group of National Guard soldiers on active duty to protect state properties since last summer, when protesters smashed windows and set a fire at state public safety headquarters in Atlanta.

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Kemp vowed a no-nonsense approach to defending the state Capitol should armed protests occur, but did not give specific details of how Georgia is preparing for this weekend and through next week. He said he did not want to tip off anyone monitoring what Georgia is doing security-wise.

However, he did extend an executive order last week, authorizing him to deploy the Georgia National Guard beginning Jan. 11. Guard will be called up as needed, but Kemp said last week he felt confident they would not.

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"I want to assure everyone from legislators, staff, visitors and the general public on down that the Department of Public Safety, the Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia National Guard take the safety and security of the Capitol and the people here very seriously," Kemp said in a news conference Jan. 12. "Given the disgraceful, un-American acts we saw last week in Washington[, D.C.], these gentlemen and their teams are fully prepared to deal with anything and everything that may happen in the days and weeks ahead."

Maj. Gen. Thomas Carden Jr., Georgia's adjutant general, and Col. Chris Wright, Georgia's Department of Public Safety commissioner, stood behind Kemp on stage during the news conference. Kemp said the threat level at Georgia's Capitol is "very low."

Wright and Carden said state authorities are monitoring intelligence and updating security plans accordingly, but specific plans will not be shared.

"We certainly respect everyone's First Amendment right to peacefully protest, as the governor said," Wright said. "But we will not tolerate unlawful or violent behavior in this state."


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