Governor, legislators condemn actions at governor’s mansion, D.C. Capitol

Gov. Jay Inslee and leaders in the state legislature roundly condemned demonstrators’ actions Wednesday in Olympia as well as the breaching of the nation’s Capitol building.

In a video statement, Inslee said acts of intimidation won’t impact the work of legislators here or in D.C.

“I know we are going through a moment of great turmoil,” Inslee said. “Passions are high, in part because we have suffered serial and constant untruths being told to citizens from the highest office in the land. But, I am confident that we are on the verge of overcoming this, as we have in the past, and we will restore the ability to perpetuate self-governance.”

While speaking at the Associated Press Legislative Preview Thursday, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said something that sets Washington state apart from Washington, D.C. is that the executive and legislative branches are working together on security plans for Monday, when session starts.

“I personally was so devastated yesterday, like so many of us were,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond. “I think so many of us take pride in the fact that, in our country, we have always had a peaceful transition of power.

“And to see what happened at our nation’s Capitol was just devastating. And, I feel that we are prepared in this Washington for Monday, and this is really a time for people to come together and make sure that we are working on policies that will make everyone’s lives better.”

Dozens of the demonstrators who gathered on the Washington state Capitol Campus in Olympia Wednesday afternoon in support of President Donald Trump broke through the security gate to the Governor’s Mansion and demonstrated near the entry to the residence.

The crowd, angry about restrictions Gov. Jay Inslee has placed on businesses and other entities to slow the spread of COVID-19, started the day with a peaceful rally on the Legislative Building steps that included speeches by Joey Gibson, a leader of the far-right group Patriot Prayer.. But the crowd that remained hours later grew more aggressive and turned its attention on the mansion, which is just west of the Legislative Building.

Demonstrators were shaking the fencing around the mansion where just one state trooper was on duty. At about 3 p.m., the gate was forced open, and dozens of protesters poured through. They walked up the hill to the mansion itself, where YouTube videos show they chanted, took selfies and video, and one man turned on a hose and sprayed the building. A trooper was stationed at the door, the video shows.

Washington State Patrol troopers responded to the scene and issued an order to disperse outside the gate. The crowd did not respond. There was still no response after a second order to disperse.

The crowd remained as the people who had gotten onto the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion were walked out the gate by law enforcement officers just before 3:30 p.m.

State Patrol Sgt. Darren Wright said they were able to get people to leave by talking to them and did not deploy any munitions. Gov. Jay Inslee and his family were never in danger, Wright said at a State Patrol news conference held after most of the crowd had left.

The gate to the mansion was damaged and will need repairs but is still standing, according to Wright. The property has been breached by individuals in the past, Wright said, but it was the first time in recent history there’s been a breach of this scale.

Entering the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion is illegal, but Wright wasn’t aware of any arrests made. There will be investigations, he said, and charges will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office if appropriate.

In response to a reporter’s question, Wright said WSP was prepared for what happened at the mansion. But, he said, they’ll evaluate the situation and see how they could do better. Earlier Wednesday, a speaker at the rally voiced plans to march to the Governor’s Mansion — but, Wright said that groups often march to the gates and hold a rally there without trying to get through.

“We can always do better,” Wright said when another reporter again asked if WSP was prepared. “I wasn’t here for the initial portion of it. I came in, I was called in as a result of this. So I don’t have that answer. There’s always a chance to do better.”

Late Wednesday afternoon, WSP was planning to continue monitoring the situation and to keep resources in the area in case there were more issues. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, Olympia Police Department, and state Department of Fish & Wildlife assisted WSP in the response, Wright said.

“WSP is investigating how the breach occurred, and will take necessary steps to make sure that there is no repeat occurrence of this event,” Wright said.

“We urge the public to remain calm in these troubled and troubling times. We remind visitors to the Capitol Campus that, while your rights to free speech are honored and protected, you do not have the right to commit illegal acts.”

The events in Olympia happened in the shadow of chaos in Washington, D.C. As Congress met to certify the Electoral College results showing Trump’s defeat in the November election, Trump supporters at the nation’s Capitol breached barricades and clashed with police, according to national reports. The U.S. Capitol building was put on lockdown, and some protesters forced their way into chambers.

In Olympia, the state Department of Enterprise Services was aware of at least three unpermitted events planned to start at noon, all with similar aims. One was among the “Operation Occupy the Capitol/MAGA Rally at the Capital” events planned across U.S. states., another was branded “Stop the Steal,” and the third, “Speak Truth” rally, billed itself a response to Trump’s call to protest.

And it was clear the people initially gathered on the steps of the Legislative Building were not a homogeneous group. At one point during the gathering, a participant interrupted Gibson and said the crowd in D.C. had stormed the Capitol. “It’s war now!” he yelled. Some people cheered but others dismissed him.

There also had been reports of small skirmishes early in the day, according to Chris Loftis, director of communications for Washington State Patrol, including a report of mace being used at the corner of Capitol Way and 11th Avenue.

Olympia Police Lt. Paul Lower said two people who didn’t know one another reportedly got into a verbal argument at roughly 1 p.m., and one person sprayed the other, Lower said, then fled before law enforcement was notified.

Pro-Trump protests and counter-protests have become commonplace in Olympia since the fall and have escalated to violence. In two recent cases, protesters have fired guns — once sending an Olympia resident to the hospital for surgery.

As the group left the gates to the governor’s mansion Wednesday afternoon, one protester told the crowd he hoped to see everyone back on Jan. 11 — the first day of legislative session.

Groups have stated plans to enter and occupy the state Legislative Building during session, claiming that keeping the Capitol buildings closed to the public is unconstitutional. Lawmakers are preparing to embark on a mostly remote session in light of COVID-19.

Loftis said there will be “a substantial law enforcement presence” Monday and that State Patrol plans to address the media multiple times, if warranted, to give regular updates.

“What we can do is be ready, for ... a tough situation,” Loftis said. “The old adage: You’re ready for a grizzly bear and you hope for a chipmunk. We’ll be ready ... for large crowds, we’ll be ready for belligerence, we’ll be ready for conflict.”

At this point, he said WSP doesn’t have any indication that groups are planning to be in conflict with one another, like what’s happened recently in Olympia. And he doesn’t see what happened Wednesday changing the response WSP has been planning.

“We’ve all watched what’s unfolded across the country and in Washington, D.C.,” Loftis said. “I think we all saw that with shock and horror and disappointment. But if we see that sort of disappointing behavior, we will be ready for it. We don’t care about people’s politics, we don’t care about what they want to say.

“What we care about is that they have the right to say it, but they have the right to say it safely and they don’t say it in a way that infringes on other people’s rights and other people’s safety. Going through a locked gate into a restricted area ... where we have executive protection responsibility is a foolish escalation and is simply unacceptable.”

This story was originally published January 7, 2021 at 1:39 PM.