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Concerns mount in Sacramento after weeks of dueling protests, possible armed protest on horizon

Chief Daniel Hahn said weeks of dueling protests have already made the streets in Sacramento "out of control."

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As the FBI warns of armed protesters at all 50 capitols across the country ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next Wednesday, Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn spoke out about his concerns in Sacramento.

“I’m very concerned but not just because of a recent bulletin from the FBI, and not just because of what happened last week at the United States Capitol but also what’s been happening in our streets,” Hahn said.

He said Sacramento's streets have been "out of control" over the last couple of months due to downtown protests. 

“These groups like Proud Boys and Antifa come and get mixed into the mix, and we have to have about 160 officers, not counting highway patrol and sheriffs,” Hahn said.

Body camera video shows police literally having to hold the fence to keep opposing protesters separated. Officials said multiple officers have been injured from objects being thrown and having lasers directed in their eyes. Chief Hahn said that, even though California is not an open carry state, the crowds still find ways to do harm.

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“They’re carrying polls, bulletproof vests, helmets, ballistic helmets, rocks, bear spray. That’s been going on for two months," Hahn said.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg released a statement saying, in part, that what happened in D.C. cannot be allowed to happen in Sacramento. 

“I’m confident that all of our law enforcement agencies are on top of the intelligence and are preparing for anything," he said. "We can’t allow anything like what happened in Washington, D.C. to happen in the capital of California.”

Chief Hahn said law enforcement will try to keep things as safe as possible, but the given recent events in Washington D.C., he's still concerned.

“We have law enforcement agencies in this region that will ensure that our community stays as safe as it possibly can, but am I concerned when you hear reports and see what we saw in DC, and see what we’ve seen here in Sacramento over the last two months…absolutely I’m concerned,” he said.

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