NLC Issues Statement on Threats of Violence Toward U.S. State Capitols

Washington, D.C. – Today, National League of Cities (NLC) Executive Director and CEO Clarence E. Anthony issued the following statement after the FBI warned local law enforcement officials that armed protests are being planned in all 50 U.S. state capitals and at the U.S. Capitol through January 20^th:

“We are deeply concerned by the potential for additional violence in cities across the country and strongly condemn any attempts to incite the same type of shameful and deadly riots instigated by President Trump that we witnessed at the U.S. Capitol last week. The threats to storm local, state and federal facilities in state capitals and other cities are nothing short of insurrection, and local leaders will stand firm against criminal mobs attempting to launch a yet another direct attack on our Democracy. We are grateful to the federal agencies coordinating with local law enforcement to share critical information on potential threats as we work together to protect both our residents and our sacred civic institutions.

“Violence has no place in our communities, and as local leaders we will work vigilantly to ensure that we have the personnel and resources in place to protect our residents during this troubling and volatile moment in our nation’s history. We are committed to working with officials at the state and federal levels in order to facilitate a peaceful transition of power – the most important hallmark of American Democracy – ahead of Inauguration Day.”