National threats of violence close South Carolina Statehouse

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Statehouse is closing for five days after the FBI warned capitols in every U.S. state could be targets for violence.

Police did not share any specific threats to the Statehouse, if there are any. But the building is being closed Saturday through Wednesday’s presidential inauguration “out of an abundance of caution,” the state Public Safety Department said Friday in a joint statement with Columbia Police, Richland County deputies and the State Law Enforcement Division.

Officers are putting up temporary barriers and signs reminding people weapons are outlawed on Statehouse grounds. Uniformed officers will be in the lobby of every building on the capitol grounds. There will be more law enforcement vehicles parked on streets around the capitol, Public Safety Director Robert Woods IV said.

Woods said he wants to keep the Statehouse as a place where people can visit, talk to lawmakers and peacefully protest if they wish. But his chief goal is to keep everyone safe.

“The events of the last week around the nation, as well as the threats against State Capitols, have necessitated a more heightened security posture in the coming days and for as long as we need to maintain that elevated presence,” Woods said in a statement.

The FBI sent a warning to all 50 states earlier this week saying they were monitoring plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington, D.C., in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

The South Carolina House and Senate decided not to meet in full Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Committees will meet virtually.

Lawmakers have said they have confidence in state capitol security, in part because of lessons learned during protests in 2015 as the state was taking down the Confederate flags. White supremacists and groups opposed to the rebel banner ended up in the same places at the same time on Statehouse grounds with fights and other disturbances that almost spiraled out of control.

The Statehouse now has barricades that can be rapidly placed to protect doors, block the wide granite steps on either side of the capitol or keep groups of protesters apart from each other before they ever get to close to the Statehouse.

Law enforcement around Columbia also said they learned lessons from violent protests in May over the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minnesota.

The mob tried to break into Columbia police headquarters and shattered windows and stole from a number of downtown businesses. Nearly 100 people have been arrested as police comb through social media posts from the riot and 12 officers were hurt, mostly with minor injuries.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said police leaders were surprised at the attack on the police department and had to rush to get reinforcements to help the dozen or so officers outside trying to keep the mob out. He said they won’t be surprised next time.

CMPD sending officers to inauguration as FBI warns of plans for armed nationwide protests

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