‘The attack is continuing’: WA governor warns of future coup attempt on insurrection anniversary

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A year after the insurrection in Washington D.C. and a breach at the Washington governor’s residence, you’ll notice change at the state capitol campus in Olympia.

Washington State Patrol (WSP) says there are more cameras, security teams, and personnel. Now, open carry firearms are not permitted on campus.

On the anniversary of the insurrection, Gov. Jay Inslee said he believes the real threat isn’t physical, but rather to our country’s democracy.

At 2:55 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, protestors breached the gate at the governor’s residence in Olympia.

A crowd rattled, pushed and pulled at the fence, shouting, “Let us in! Let us in!” Suddenly, the side door swung open and people rushed in.

“Go, go, go, go, go!” someone shouted. A trooper — who we now know was a cadet — tried to pull people away from the entrance and keep people out, but there were too many.

Some were heavily armed with assault rifles.

It was the first mass breach of the secure grounds in the mansion’s century-plus history.

“What was going through your head when protestors were starting to breach the mansion?” KIRO 7′s Deedee Sun asked Inslee.

“I was working on my laptop with my staff in a conference call,” Inslee said. “I was sitting in my living room and I could hear the commotion outside, I was trying to ignore it. And a state trooper of our executive protection unit said, ‘You need to go to the safe room in the residence immediately. There is a threat.’ I don’t argue with him in those circumstances. So I followed them to the safe room, put on a flak jacket at their request,” Inslee said.

Outside, a lone trooper defended the mansion as protesters shouted, demanding the governor to come outside before backup law enforcement arrived.

“It was a tough day. It was a tough day for the country, it was a tough day for the state,” said Chris Loftis, head of WSP communications.

Loftis says that day brought us into a new era, changing the way WSP prepares for threats.

“Even to this day there are lingering concerns, there are lingering conflicts, threats,” Loftis said. “We’ve got to imagine the unimaginable and we’ve got to be ready for it,” he said.

Inslee said what was on his mind, as the commotion playing out on his front lawn was primarily the insurrection at our nation’s capitol.

“That’s the building I was most thinking of during the ruckus at the governor’s residence. And it’s the one I still believe is under attack,” Inslee said. “To see it besmirched by this attack hits me right here,” he said, pointing to his heart.

The governor believes the threat is not over, and expressed fears that a coup attempt will surge again in the next presidential election.

“This is much more than a simple case of some violence. It’s our democracy itself that was attacked and continues to be attacked, unfortunately,” Inslee said. “It’s a continued coup attempt that continues today. And we need to stand up against it in the days to come,” he said.

He says it will take courage from lawmakers to denounce any displays of misinformation, particularly about elections.

“I’m calling on legislators of both sides,” Inslee said. “This isn’t about my safety or even Congress’ safety. It’s about the survival of democracy,” Inslee said.

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