Kansas Gov. Kelly will close state office buildings by Capitol on Tuesday, Wednesday
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday she will close state office buildings near the Capitol on Tuesday and Wednesday out of “an abundance of caution” ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
In addition to administration buildings, the Curtis and Eisenhower buildings in the Capitol complex in Topeka are among those that will be closed, according to the governor’s office.
“The safety and well-being of our employees is my top priority,” Kelly said in a statement Monday. “These steps are taken out of an abundance of caution — and I thank all employees for their patience and understanding during this time.”
Kelly said employees were instructed to work remotely, but those whose duties require them to work from the office — and who can’t work from home — were told to not come in either day.
The governor encouraged agencies with offices in the immediate area to follow a similar course of action.
The statehouse will remain open for people conducting business with the legislature, the governor’s office or lieutenant governor’s office, the statement said. Access will only be through the visitor center entrance.
In a security briefing Thursday, Kelly told legislative leadership she planned to close the statehouse to the public for a week, starting at 5 p.m. Friday as Kansas legislators and police brace for possible violence ahead of the inauguration.
The FBI has warned of the potential for armed protests in Washington and at all 50 state capitol buildings ahead of Wednesday, causing many states to step up security measures around their capitol buildings, including in Kansas and Missouri.
Also on Monday, Timothy Garrison, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, said while he is not concerned about peaceful rallies, he is asking citizens to report any possible domestic terrorism in the coming days.
The Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol left a police officer and four others dead after a violent mob of supporters of President Donald Trump forced their way in, causing the building filled with lawmakers to go on lockdown. As of Sunday, more than 125 people have been arrested because of the insurrection.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 18, 2021 at 8:23 PM.
