The National Guard and state troopers are at Washington state’s Capitol campus for the start of the legislative session.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — At least two people have been arrested Monday morning on the Capitol campus in Olympia, according to the Washington State Patrol (WSP).
Around 8:30 a.m., WSP tweeted that a woman was arrested after using an RV to block a roadway. The WSP said the female driver refused to leave and was taken into custody.
“This situation created a security concern and was dealt with appropriately,” state patrol tweeted.
Several other people were in the RV at the time and chose to leave when asked, according to the state patrol.
The WSP tweeted around 11 a.m. that a 30-year-old man was arrested on the campus for “failure to comply with a lawful order” after attempting to enter the restricted area.
The new security measures at the state Capitol in Olympia are in place in response to riots at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and the governor’s mansion being breached.
Fences have been placed at the Capitol around the statehouse and up to the legislative buildings in preparation for the start of the legislative session on Monday.
WSP is tightening security around the Capitol and Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday activated 750 Washington State National Guard members and a “large” number of state troopers to help protect the Capitol Campus. The National Guard will be in place for at least 48 hours.
The WSP said the response is the largest on the Capitol Campus in the state’s history and it serves two purposes, for protection but also to send a message about democracy.
