Florida A&M University and Florida State University have advised their students to take extra safety precautions in the event of violent protests on Sunday.
The precautions come after an internal FBI bulletin was obtained and first reported by ABC News on Monday warning of violence at all 50 state capitals this Sunday, all the way through Inauguration Day for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
The insurrection of the Capitol on Jan. 6 has caused the FBI, as well as local law enforcement agencies, to take extra safety measures in the days to come.
On Thursday, Vice President of Student Affairs William H. Hudson released a statement to students cautioning them to be aware of potential danger and urging them to stay away from any state Capitol buildings on Sunday.
“The administration has learned of the potential for armed protests in many of our nation’s capitols on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021,” Hudson said. “These gatherings could serve as super spreader events and could put members of the FAMU community in physical danger.”
The FAMU Police Department has increased officer presence as well as partnered with the city and state law enforcement agencies to increase the safety of all students. FSU Police Chief Terri Brown encouraged FSU students to use the SeminoleSAFE mobile app in addition to the safety measures he and his team have in place.
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey wants Governor Ron DeSantis to deploy the National Guard ahead of Sunday and Inauguration Day as a precautionary measure, should peaceful protests turn violent.
“We can hope that the threats we’ve heard about won’t materialize, but hope is not a plan. If we learned anything from last week’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, it is that we cannot risk being underprepared,” Dailey tweeted.
On Friday, the FBI arrested Daniel Alan Baker after he issued a call to arms for protestors Sunday at the Florida Capitol.
In Hudson’s statement, he also encouraged students living on campus to remain in their dorms with the doors locked in the event that violence spreads to the campus.
Students are to not engage, or instigate, any violence with peaceful or violent protesters.
Any students curious about updates from the Office of Student Affairs can check their FAMU emails for more information.