Washington Implements Strict Security Measures for Trump’s Inauguration

RKS NEWS
RKS NEWS 6 Min Read
6 Min Read

With 48 kilometers of temporary fences, 25,000 police officers, and security checkpoints set up to control hundreds of thousands of spectators, Washington is preparing for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump next week.

The swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the Capitol and the parade to the White House will take place on Monday, following a weekend of protests from Trump’s opponents and celebratory gatherings by his supporters.

The inauguration comes after a contentious election campaign that saw two assassination attempts on Trump, including one where a bullet grazed his ear, causing a minor injury. It also follows New Year’s Eve attacks in several cities, one of which left 14 dead and dozens injured when a U.S. Army veteran drove a car into a crowd celebrating in New Orleans. On the same day, a U.S. soldier detonated a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump-branded hotel in Las Vegas, killing himself.

“We are operating in an environment with heightened threats,” said a spokesperson from the U.S. Secret Service.

The inauguration ceremony, where Trump will officially take the oath of office before Congress members, the Supreme Court justices, administration officials, and tens of thousands of attendees, will be held on the Capitol steps, facing the Washington Monument.

This is the same location where, on January 6, 2021, thousands of Trump supporters broke windows, clashed with the police, and forced lawmakers into hiding as they sought to overturn Trump’s loss in the 2020 election to President Joe Biden.

Trump’s 2024 election rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, conceded her loss in the November 5 elections, unlike Trump, who continues to make false claims that his defeat was the result of fraud, as reported by Voice of America.

Fear of Lone Wolf Attackers

Security officials say they are unaware of any specific threats to the inauguration ceremony but are concerned about lone-wolf attackers, like the one in New Orleans, or in two incidents last week. In one, a person was arrested after attempting to enter the Capitol with a large knife. In another, a person tried to start a fire near the Capitol, according to Capitol police.

“The threat from lone actors remains our primary concern in this heightened security situation for the coming week,” said Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have warned police across the country of the risks of attacks attempting to replicate the New Orleans incident.

Large Parts of Washington to Be Closed to Vehicles

A large portion of downtown Washington, stretching about 3 kilometers from the White House to the Capitol, will be closed to vehicles. Key entry points to this area will be blocked with concrete barricades, trucks, and other heavy materials.

The 48-kilometer fence, 2 meters high and designed to prevent climbing, will be the longest ever erected in Washington, according to officials. Around 7,800 National Guard members and 4,000 police officers from other departments will be deployed nationwide to reinforce security.

Meanwhile, many Washington residents, where 90% of voters supported Democratic candidate Harris, are preparing to spend the three-day weekend, including the Monday holiday in the U.S., outside the city or at home to avoid the crowds.

Around 70% of the 34,500 hotel rooms in Washington have been booked for the night before and after the inauguration, based on data from last week. For Trump’s 2017 inauguration, 95% of hotel rooms were booked, and about 78% were booked for Obama’s second inauguration in 2013.

Protests and Gatherings

Trump’s inauguration ceremony in 2017 was marked by massive protests and counter-protests.

The Women’s March, the day after the ceremony, drew hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of Washington—and even more in solidarity marches across the country.

A much smaller crowd, with 25,000 participants, is expected at the People’s March in Washington on Saturday, according to the city’s police chief, Pamela Smith.

Thousands of protesters are expected to participate in dozens of other protests or gatherings that have been authorized by local officials to take place from Saturday to Monday, including a pro-Trump rally on Sunday in a venue with a capacity of 20,000.

Harvard professor Juliette Kayyem, who served as a security official during President Obama’s administration, said officials seem to be following a standard practice by planning for all scenarios.

“Planning is done with the worst-case scenario in mind, but I doubt anything like that will happen, which is good news,” she said. “When it comes to planning, it’s always better to do more than less.”

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