Prepared for protests

All was peaceful at the State Capitol on Inauguration Day, except the gusting Wyoming wind.

After two weeks of speculation about fresh violence at the U.S. Capitol and state capitols around the country, President Joe Biden’s swearing in ceremony proved a peaceful affair in Cheyenne and elsewhere.

While national guard troops flooded Washington D.C., the statehouse in Wyoming was guarded by the same division of the Wyoming Highway Patrol that maintains security throughout the year. 

There was a more visible law enforcement presence than usual, with troopers inside the thick doors at the top of the Capitol steps and at least one stationed on an upper-floor balcony. 

But the lawn in front of the building was mostly empty through the inauguration ceremony, with no signs of protesters, peaceful or otherwise. 

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