PHOTOS: Small group of armed protesters dwarfed by police at Michigan Capitol

Rudabeh Shahbazi and Sydney Kalich

5 years ago

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A small group of demonstrators, some armed, rallied Sunday outside of Michigan’s Capitol building in front of a throng of law enforcement officers on high alert after this month’s deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol.

About a dozen protesters openly carried guns. A few other protesters, who were not openly armed, wore hats supporting President Donald Trump or falsely claimed the election was stolen. Trump’s term will end Wednesday when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated.

As snow fell, state police, the National Guard and local law enforcement provided a sizeable security presence at or near the 142-year-old Statehouse and other government buildings. Adjacent roads were closed. A police helicopter flew overhead. The Capitol was surrounded by a 6-foot fence. Ground-level windows on several downtown buildings, including the governor’s office, were boarded up.

Michigan National Guard and Lansing Police Department vehicles block a street outside the state capitol in Lansing, Mich., Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A Michigan National Guard vehicle blocks a street outside the state capitol in Lansing, Mich., Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan National Guard members stands outside the state capitol in Lansing, Mich., Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan National Guard block off a street near the Capitol Building in Lansing, Michigan on January 17,2020, during a nationwide protest called by anti-government and far-right groups supporting US President Donald Trump and his claim of electoral fraud in the November 3 presidential election. – The FBI warned authorities in all 50 states to prepare for armed protests at state capitals in the days leading up to the January 20 presidential inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by SETH HERALD / AFP) (Photo by SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 17: Demonstrators protest outside of the Michigan state capital building on January 17, 2021 in Lansing, Michigan. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 17: Armed demonstrators walk outside of the Michigan state capital building on January 17, 2021 in Lansing, Michigan. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 17: A person carries a rifle (R) as protesters stand outside of the Michigan state capital building on January 17, 2021 in Lansing, Michigan. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 17: An armed demonstrator stands outside of the Michigan state capital building on January 17, 2021 in Lansing, Michigan. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 17: A protester stands with a rainbow flag outside of the Michigan state capital building on January 17, 2021 in Lansing, Michigan. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 17: A demonstrator protest with sign that reads, “Hey, Donald! We thought you said America First!” outside the Michigan state capitol building on January 17, 2021 in Lansing, Michigan. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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The demonstration was peaceful and drew more media members than protesters. It came after the FBI warned of the potential for armed protests at the nation’s Capitol and all 50 state capitol buildings beginning this weekend.

Timothy Teagan, a boogaloo backer who was at the Michigan Statehouse, said the purpose was “to urge a message of peace and unity to the left and right, to the members of BLM, to Trump supporters to Three Percenter militias to Antifa,” referring to Black Lives Matter.

State police Lt. Brian Oleksyk, who estimated that about 20 protesters had turned up, said such demonstrations are nothing new.

“It’s a different topic and it’s a serious topic, but we won’t tolerate criminal behavior,” he said.

Martin Szelag said he had hoped for a better turnout.

“I was hoping the militia would be here,” he said.

But the 67-year-old semi-retired window salesman from Dearborn Heights did not want to see any violence, just more attention for his cause: that Biden’s victory in November was tainted by election fraud.

Szelag wore a sign around his neck that read, in part, “We will support Joe Biden as our President if you can convince us he won legally. Show us the proof! Then the healing can begin.”

“I don’t trust the results of the election,” he said.

Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes or 2.8 percentage points. Various election officials across the country and Trump’s former attorney general, William Barr, have said there was no widespread fraud.

The Associated Press and NewsNation affiliate WLNS contributed to this report.