LIVE UPDATES: Two arrested at the Capitol as the Legislature convenes
4:15 p.m.: At State Patrol new conference, Sgt. Darren Wright said the 30-year-old Everett man arrested today was one of the people who breached the gate to the Governor’s Mansion last week. Criminal trespass charges will be forwarded to the Thurston County Prosecutor.
1:45 p.m.: Given the largely uneventful protest on the Capitol Campus, State Patrol is unsure if they will have a 4 p.m. media briefing. “Regardless of the duration, regardless of what happens today, the National Guard, Washington State Patrol, DES, and law enforcement partners will do what is necessary to protect the people, the place and process of democracy,” said WSP spokesman Chris Loftis at a 1 p.m. media briefing.
1:26 p.m.: WSP news conference confirms there have been no other incidents besides the two earlier arrests. Olympian staff walked most of the campus and it’s very soggy and very quiet. About 15-20 protesters are still standing by the entry gate, but they’ve quieted down and currently are just milling about.
12:40 a.m.: The FBI is warning of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, according to an internal FBI bulletin obtained by the Associated Press.
The protests may start later this week, according to two law enforcement officials who read details of the memo to the AP.
11:20 a.m.: Second arrest of the day. A man was arrested around 11 a.m. as the Senate convened, when he attempted to enter the Capitol building. It was the same man an Olympian journalist overheard earlier Monday morning saying he planned to enter the building. Washington State Patrol said in a tweet the man “was arrested for failure to comply with a lawful order.”
10:45 a.m.: WSP says there has been no arrest yet of man who threatened journalists during protest at the Capitol last Wednesday. It’s an active investigation, but spokesman declined to comment on it.
9:45 a.m. Two men talking loudly outside the gates on Sid Snyder Avenue, one wearing a black suit and cowboy hat, are the only visible protesters on this rainy day. One of the men said he plans to enter the Capitol at 11 am. “The whole world is watching,” he told The Olympian.
9:20 a.m. Rep. Pat Sullivan told McClatchy, “While it’ll be a struggle getting through today and the rest of session, we’re going to do it. People are counting on us to pass budgets and laws as they struggle, too.”
8:23 a.m. Washington State Patrol arrests a woman using an RV to block a roadway. The woman reportedly “refused to comply with orders to move.” WSP on Twitter said: “This situation created a security concern and was dealt with appropriately.”
Leading up to Monday: After protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol and broke through a gate at the Washington state Governor’s Mansion last week, state officials have put security measures in place as the Legislature meets to begin the 2021 session. Monday’s in-person session is needed for lawmakers to vote in rules that will allow them to meet remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Jay Inslee authorized up to 750 National Guardsmen “and a large number of Washington State Patrol troopers” to act as additional security and they arrived Sunday, when a number of rallies were planned.
Fencing has been set up to restrict access to areas of the Capitol Campus.
A number of groups had planned to protest the fact that the public cannot enter legislative chambers this year to see and interact with legislators in person. But organizers said last week that those plans were canceled, although they still expected people to show up to try to gain access to the Legislative Building.
This story was originally published January 11, 2021 at 9:42 AM with the headline "LIVE UPDATES: Two arrested at the Capitol as the Legislature convenes."