Wake County, Raleigh to close downtown offices ahead of possible inauguration protests
The city of Raleigh will close its government buildings downtown Wednesday and Wake County will close its downtown offices Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of possible protests surrounding President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
“Based on the widespread calls for protests next week and out of an abundance of caution, I’m closing all county offices near the State Capital in downtown Raleigh to the public and our non-public safety employees on Tuesday, Jan. 19, and Wednesday, Jan. 20,“ County Manager David Ellis told employees in an email Friday.
The FBI sent a memo to all 50 states warning of protests in state capitals. In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper has called up 350 National Guard troops for duty in Raleigh. No specific plans to demonstrate have been announced outside fliers calling for armed marches at the state capitols.
On Saturday, the N.C. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources announced that several downtown facilities would close through Wednesday: the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, the N.C. Museum of History, the State Library of North Carolina and the State Archives.
“In an abundance of caution, to protect public health & safety during the pandemic, DNCR’s downtown Raleigh facilities will be closed through Jan. 20 due to the anticipated high volume of people in the area,” the department tweeted Saturday.
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin shared the governor’s tweet about the National Guard.
“This is a cooperative effort,” she tweeted. “We are ready and prepared.”
As of Friday afternoon, Baldwin said the city doesn’t plan to enact a curfew, hoping the state’s 10 p.m. coronavirus curfew is “adequate.”
Local law enforcement agencies have shared intelligence on a local, regional and national level, she said.
“The governor has done the right thing in requesting the National Guard,” Baldwin said. “I believe that was an excellent move and something that (Police Chief Cassandra) Deck-Brown had requested as well. That helps with our preparedness.
“We are all working together,” she said. “We are all on highest alert.”
People should consider working from home or remotely instead of coming to downtown on Wednesday, Baldwin said, adding she’s heard some downtown businesses plan to close that day.
“I think the biggest thing for people who live downtown is not to panic,” she said. “To be alert. If they see something that doesn’t look or feel right, they should leave and call the police.”
On Thursday, Terrance Ruth, who recently announced he is running against Baldwin in the 2021 election, also urged people to stay away.
“Due to the unique circumstances surrounding the 59th Presidential Inauguration, including last week’s violent insurrection as well as the ongoing and deadly COVID-19 pandemic, I urge the Mayor of Raleigh to take the extraordinary step of encouraging citizens not to come Downtown on January 20th, instead participate in the inauguration, virtually,” he said in a statement. “The FBI’s warnings and Governor Cooper’s provisions are clear signs of potential dangerous gatherings at the capital. Our city’s leadership need to take early precautions to ensure the safety of our residents.”
NC State monitoring situation
Raleigh City Council member David Cox shared a statement from Randy Woodson, chancellor of N.C. State University.
“Our country continues to reckon with the effects of the attack on Congress, as well as the troubling prospect that there may be additional unrest and violence in the days ahead,” the statement said. “I want to assure you the N.C. State leadership and police are actively monitoring the situation in and around Raleigh, and we are taking steps to help ensure that our campus community is safe and secure.”
Downtown Raleigh showed no signs of panic Friday, even by pandemic standards. Joggers ran down Fayetteville Street, dodging construction crews. Lunch diners sat outside for tacos at Gringo.
At Rocket Fizz candy store, the Friday mood was upbeat. No one there thought police would let crowds get destructive after downtown’s summer of protests turned to riots. The only worry was that National Guard troops would scare off customers.
Staff writer Josh Shaffer contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Wake County, Raleigh to close downtown offices ahead of possible inauguration protests."
