State officials are increasing security at the Kentucky Capitol grounds in Frankfort ahead of the threat of violence against statehouses across the country leading up to president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration Wednesday.
Security measures will include a full closure of the Kentucky Capitol on Sunday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced.
“There have been domestic terror threats against state capitols all over the United States. Our commitment is that what happened at the U.S. Capitol will not happen here,” Beshear said in a news release. “We have the commitment and participation of the Kentucky State Police, Frankfort Police and the Kentucky National Guard to ensure the safety of everyone in this area. There have been no requests for permits for gatherings at the Capitol in the coming days, so there are no gatherings or rallies that can or should be happening.”
Protestors, including some who were armed, have gathered at the Kentucky Capitol several times in the past year to voice opposition to Beshear’s coronavirus executive orders. On May 24, members of a militia group ignored barriers around the Kentucky Governor’s Mansion and walked to the front door to shout at Beshear. They hung his effigy in a tree near the residence.
Beshear authorized the Kentucky National Guard to join state police is protecting the Capitol grounds and nearby neighborhoods. Officials did not release the number of guard members who will be present.
“We appreciate everyone’s understanding and your patriotism,” Beshear said Friday in announcing extra security measures. “Domestic terror is never OK. We must stop it every time we see it, and we cannot let what we saw at the U.S. Capitol become a new normal for this country.”
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
