The heavy police and military presence that surrounded the Utah Capitol on Sunday in anticipation of possibly violent unrest did not come cheap. In fact, according to FOX 13, the extra security cost $227,000 that day alone.
In the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, members of the National Guard and Utah Highway Patrol troopers were brought in to help keep the Utah Capitol secure last weekend.
But on Sunday, the law enforcement presence at the Utah Capitol dwarfed the actual number of protesters who showed up. A group of eight anti-government “Boogaloo bois,” who said they don’t support Trump, stood outside with rifles. They called the police and media presence at the Capitol that day a “joke.” Only a handful of Trump supporters attended the demonstration, quietly waving flags for hours.
Officials told FOX 13 that having the Utah Highway Patrol and National Guard on scene helped ensure the rally remained peaceful.
FOX 13 reports that the state is continuing to pay for extra protection at the Utah Capitol, even though the number of personnel has declined since Sunday. The soldiers were set to go home Thursday, but extra UHP troopers will stay until mid-March when the Utah Legislature finishes its 2021 session.
Read more at FOX 13.
Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune and FOX 13 are content-sharing partners.