WASHINGTON D.C. — The nation’s capital is bracing for more potential violence ahead of Inauguration Day following last week’s chaos at the U.S. Capitol. Thousands of National Guard troops are already mobilized in Washington D.C. and thousands more will arrive by the weekend.
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a letter requesting the president to declare a pre-emergency disaster for the city like the one that was in effect for former President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
“Our goals right now are to encourage Americans to participate virtually and to protect the District of Columbia from a repeat of the violent insurrection experienced at the Capitol,” Mayor Bowser said. “This is necessary because the inauguration poses several unprecedented challenges that exceed the traditional planning processes.”
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Mayor Bowser also requested that the Department of the Interior cancel or deny all public gathering permits now through Jan. 24.
We’ve obtained the applications already submitted, totaling nearly two dozen. They included requests for at least two demonstrations against the inauguration for President-elect Joe Biden.
The National Park Service also announced the Washington Monument will be closed to visitors until Jan. 24 as a result of the potential threat of more violence.
Meanwhile, local and federal law enforcement agencies are continuing to ask for the public’s help in identifying the people who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
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