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Florida Capitol security remains strong ahead of Inauguration Day

Armed spotters remain on the Capitol itself and surrounding buildings.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida National Guard troops remain on active duty to protect Florida’s Capitol following an FBI alert that put all 50 state capitols on alert over the weekend.

Additional security precautions remain in effect and will continue at least through Wednesday’s Presidential Inauguration.

An occasional helicopter circled the Capitol Tuesday, just as it has since Sunday.

Armed spotters remain on the Capitol itself and surrounding buildings.

On the advice of law enforcement, City Hall and the county courthouse, which sit as bookends on a short street next to the Capitol, are closed for business through Wednesday.

“There are no services being provided to the general public at this point, because we are hoping people will stay home and not come to the downtown area so that they can be safe and not put themselves and others in harms way,” said Curtis Richardson, the longest-serving Tallahassee City Commissioner.

Security looks a lot like it does every four years for the Governor’s inauguration with hundreds of officers present, out of sight, unless they are needed.

A flyer produced by the self-described leftist radical arrested by the FBI last week calls on demonstrators to answer a call to arms on Wednesday.

Daniel Baker is being held without bond until a hearing the day after the inauguration.

“If you pose a threat to public safety, we will come for you. We will find you. And we will prosecute you,” said US Attorney for Florida’s Northern District Lawrence Keefe.

On Sunday, Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey praised the Governor for sending national guardsmen to protect the Capitol.

“I know that he cares for the safety of Tallahassee and the Capitol Complex as much as I do as well,” said Dailey.

The guards’ deployment order runs through Sunday night, but law enforcement told us the length of the deployment is being reassessed every day.

According to the City of Tallahassee, no one has requested a permit to demonstrate on Inauguration Day.


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