Donald Trump: Georgia Capitol Gates Closing For Possible Protests

ATLANTA, GA — Georgia Capitol Police are closing the gates of the State Capitol Monday in lite of potential protests as the possible indictment of former President Donald J. Trump looms in Fulton County, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Trump is accused of interfering with the 2020 presidential election, during which he lost in Georgia to President Joe Biden.

Former Georgia Rep. Bee Nguyen was one of multiple witnesses who testified Monday in court. Nguyen shared a statement with 11Alive, saying she exercised her "patriotic duty." She added "no individual is above the law."

Trump could be indicted sometime in Georgia this week, and local authorities spent recent weeks preparing for potential after-effects.

Former Georgia Sen. Jen Jordan and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan have both been subpoenaed in the case against Trump, NBC News reported.

Duncan posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was testifying in front of a Fulton County grand jury Tuesday. However, the AJC reported Duncan will testify Monday ahead on schedule.

I can confirm that I have been requested to testify before the Fulton County grand jury on Tuesday. I look forward to answering their questions around the 2020 election. Republicans should never let honesty be mistaken for weakness. https://t.co/3j73O1kLNj — Geoff Duncan (@GeoffDuncanGA) August 12, 2023

Atlanta Attorney John Floyd, who is reportedly an expert in racketeering cases, spent some time advising the Fulton County District Attorney's Office as prosecutors presented to the grand jury, the AJC reported.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating the efforts of Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden in Georgia.

The Associated Press reported Trump expects to be indicted a fourth time, following indictments in Washington, D.C., Florida and New York.

With the awaited announcement, Fulton County authorities began readying themselves and areas around the courthouse nearly two weeks ago for a possible indictment.

"The Fulton County Sheriff's Office is the lead agency regarding courthouse security. The Atlanta Police Department is closely monitoring updates from the Fulton Count District Attorney's Office and is prepared to assist with public safety, if needed. Our goal is to uphold the rights and wellbeing of everyone in our city," Atlanta Police said in a statement issued Thursday.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office announced on Aug. 3 the following road closures are in place near the Fulton County Courthouse and the Fulton County Government Center through Friday:

• Pryor Street Southwest between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Mitchell Road is closed to general traffic.
• The two right lanes of Pryor Street between MLK and Mitchell is parking for media, designated by bike racks. Media parking on Pryor Street is first come, first served.
• Overflow media parking is on Central on the right side of the street.
• The courthouse and Fulton County Government Center is open to the public, so pedestrian traffic is allowed on Pryor Street.
• There is no public parking allowed anywhere on the perimeter of the courthouse on either side of the street. Vehicle traffic is allowed on Central, MLK and Mitchell.

Trump has heavily criticized Willis in the past, calling her racist and accusing of her using an indictment against him to seek another office, the Associated Press reported. Willis' office has not replied to Trump's comments.

"Willis told law enforcement and local government leaders in a letter in April that she expected to announce charging decisions by the end of the current court term, which ends Sept. 1. She advised law enforcement to prepare for 'heightened security,' noting that the announcement of charges “may provoke a significant public reaction," the Associated Press reported.

"A few weeks later, she seemed to narrow that window further in a letter to the chief judge of the county superior court. She indicated that she planned to have much of her staff work remotely for most days during the first three weeks of August and asked that judges not schedule trials and in-person hearings during part of that time, notably on the days when grand juries meet."

See a full breakdown of the Trump investigation via 11Alive.

The Associated Press contributed reporting and writing.