Wake, Raleigh closing downtown offices as precaution against inauguration protests

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said city offices also will be closed on Wednesday, and employees will work remotely.

The county's move affects offices in the Wake County Justice Center, the courthouse, the Public Safety Center and the county office building.

"We’re taking this proactive step because we’ve heard the widespread calls for protests next week amidst the presidential inauguration," County Manager David Ellis said in a statement. "The safety of our residents and our employees is our top priority, and based on the proximity of these buildings to the State Capitol, we feel this is the appropriate action to take."

City and county offices also will be closed on Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Courts will continue to operate in the Justice Center and the courthouse next Tuesday and Wednesday, but District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said that could change if the situation calls for it.

"Employees, when they see that the county is shutting down and other types of law enforcement alerts that are going out, that raises their anxiety," Freeman said.

North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby sent a letter to sheriffs statewide on Friday asking for extra security at courthouses over the next week.

Gov. Roy Cooper has already mobilized 350 North Carolina National Guard members to assist law enforcement in Raleigh, with another 300 headed to Washington, D.C., for support.

“It feels more aggressive. It feels a little more dangerous," said Julie Woods, who works downtown. "I think people are a little more concerned, seeing as how we had a fairly dangerous situation in the summer time."

In late May and early June, rioters damaged and looted buildings downtown following protests over George Floyd's death in police custody in Minnesota.

“It’s a mixed feeling. I am worried about my employees and worried about my store, but I encourage all businesspeople in downtown Raleigh to stay open," he said. "I call for those people who plan to protest to consider others. Show love to your country."

Baldwin said Raleigh leaders and law enforcement authorities learned from the summer riots and will use those lessons now.

"It is about preparation. It’s about collaboration, working together, sharing information," she said. "We are prepared. We are ready, and we are going to protect out city. We are going to protect our Capitol.”

Salahat wants Raleigh to enact a 6 p.m. curfew over the next few days, and he's called Raleigh police and the FBI seeking more patrols downtown. Baldwin said she plans to stick with the statewide 10 p.m. curfew but will continue to monitor the situation to see if an earlier curfew is needed.

“Quite frankly, we have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, and that is what we are doing," she said.

"“I feel like there is an undercurrent of people who are not going to be satisfied with being calm, and we have to watch out for that," Wood said.