Governor Edwards asks everyone participating in this weekend’s protests to stay peaceful and follow the law.
Law enforcement agencies report they will be closely monitoring demonstrations at the State Capitol this weekend. Edwards said the state will protect your right to protest, but not to riot.
“The 1st Amendment is critically important but obviously it is critically important that they do that in a way that is peaceful, non-violent, and in accordance with the law,” said Edwards.
State Police and other law enforcement agencies including the FBI released a joint statement saying they are monitoring the situation but have not identified any specific or substantiated threat to life or property.
Edwards touted the fact that election protestors have been holding demonstrations at the State Capitol for weeks without issue, hopes they will continue to do so, and not behave like the Capitol Hill mob.
“As a veteran, as a Governor, as an American, as a Louisianan I am both angry and saddened by what we saw,” said Edwards. “That should never ever happen in the United States of American.”
Federal Prosecutors now allege the some involved in the Capitol Hill mob intended to capture and assassinate specific elected officials.
Edwards asked anyone attending a protest this weekend to wear a mask.
“As week’s event at the US Capitol became a super spreader event. Even outside if you have enough people close enough together for long periods of time and they are not wearing masks that can be a very dangerous environment,” said Edwards.
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