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Officials prepare for possible protests at Florida’s Capitol
Authorities are preparing for protests ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - It was unexpectedly lonely at the Florida State Capitol on Sunday evening.
Earlier in the week, the FBI put every state Capitol in America on alert, warning of protests leading up to Inauguration Day.
"All is calm, all is well and I’m very grateful for that," said Allison Tant, Florida House of Representative, District 9.
There were also no visible barriers surrounded the Capitol grounds.
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"I’m surprised to hear there aren’t any type of barricades. I assume it’s because the Capitol building is typically closed on the weekend and will be closed for the holiday. And perhaps law enforcement didn’t see a purpose for putting up barricades so early, since there will be no staff actually in the building," said Anna Eskamani, Florida House of Representative, District 47.
State House and Senate leadership encouraged staffers to work remotely. Federal, state, and local law enforcement are monitoring the situation.
"We have every resource that we could actually ever ask for monitoring and keeping our community safe," Tant said.
City offices around the Capitol are closed through Wednesday to keep people away. State Representative Allison Tant, who represents the Tallahassee community, says much of the law enforcement activity is also happening behind the scenes.
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The goal of all these measures? Avoiding another Capitol riot.
"I do believe that was certainly a very sobering moment for our country," Tant said.
State Representative Anna Eskamani, who represents part of the Orlando community, says she's reminding people to stay vigilant.
"I keep telling everyone you should always worry but never panic," she said.
One noticeable difference is the law enforcement presence around the Capitol. Though they don’t appear to be guarding the grounds, every few minutes, a caravan of police or sheriff cruisers can be seen circling the campus.
Governor Ron DeSantis has also activated the Florida National Guard for extra precaution.
Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.
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