Sununu cancels outdoor inauguration amid safety concerns over home protests

Staff reports 1:50 p.m.


Sununu cancels outdoor inauguration amid safety concerns over home protests

Gov. Chris Sununu (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD - Gov. Chris Sununu announced today that his planned outdoor Inaugural Ceremony has been canceled amid ongoing public safety concerns following recent protests at his home.
"My first responsibility is ensuring the safety of my family and our citizens," the governor said in a statement. "For weeks, armed protesters have increasingly become more aggressive, targeting my family, protesting outside my private residence, and trespassing on my property; an outdoor public ceremony simply brings too much risk. We do not make this decision lightly, but it is the right thing to do."
Several people were fined and one arrested during a protest outside the governor's Newfields residence on Tuesday.
Sununu said the Executive Council will be sworn-in during a small ceremony to be attended by leaders of both houses of the legislature, and to be virtually attended by all other members, on Jan. 7
The Governor will also deliver his inaugural address live at 7 p.m. on Jan. 7.

Several protesters were fined and one arrested after the Newfields Board of Selectmen passed an anti-picketing ordinance, which was enforced by state and local police on Tuesday. The protesters were aware of the ordinance passed earlier this month, but said Tuesday night's presence outside the governor's home was a vigil, not a picketing event.