Capitol Police are investigating a post threatening an “armed takeover” of the Vermont Statehouse.
Chief Matthew Romei said Tuesday that police are investigating the remark, made in a Facebook group last week.
“Who’s ready for an armed takeover of the statehouse?” Dana Rushford commented in a group called the Orange Vest Movement.
The group, ostensibly drawing its name from the recent “yellow vest” protests in France, says that it aims to bring together “Constitutionalists who believe the RIGHTs of the People shall Not be Infringed.”
Hours after the comment was posted, Capitol Police, the law enforcement force responsible for the Statehouse, began looking into it, Romei said. They reached out to the Montpelier Police Department, the Vermont State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation about it, as well.
Romei said that police don’t see an imminent threat from the comment.
“We’ve investigated it and we don’t believe that the person who actually made this statement is actually capable of developing an armed takeover of the Statehouse,” Romei said.
The individual who made the comment, who has the Facebook name Dana Rushford, does not live in state, he said. However, Romei said the comment represents a shift in tone from the past.
“As far as him martialing a siege force, I don’t see that as likely,” Romei said. “At the same time, I don’t think we’ve seen this language before.”
Romei said he does not know if the commenter will be charged related to the remark. He said the comment fits into a larger investigation, but Romei would not provide further details about the nature of the investigation.
Dana Rushford did not immediately respond to a request for comment via Facebook, nor did an administrator for the Orange Vest Movement Facebook group.
The Orange Vest Movement is planning a gathering at the Statehouse early next year.
“They have a protest planned for day one of the legislative session and we welcome all gatherings like that. It’s the people’s house you should be heard,” Romei said. “We expect them to follow the rules.”
Read the story on VTDigger here: Police investigating ‘armed takeover’ threat towards Statehouse.