Following the chaos at the U.S. Capitol, federal authorities are planning an early lockdown of downtown Washington, D.C., next week ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration.
The Homeland Security Department announced on Monday that its National Special Security Event, involving tens of thousands of National Guard members, will move forward a week.
“In light of events of the past week and the evolving security landscape leading up to the inauguration and at the recommendation of Secret Service Director James Murray, I have instructed the U.S. Secret Service to begin the National Special Security Event operations for the 2021 Inauguration effective Wednesday, January 13th instead of January 19th,” acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said in a press release. “Our federal, state, and local partners will continue to coordinate their plans and position resources for this important event.”
The changes to the timeline follow a request by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who asked for additional security measures in the city following the violence on Jan. 6.
Bowser asked Wolf, who is resigning from his position, to extend the security event from Jan. 10 to Jan. 24. The mayor also called for a “pre-disaster declaration” for the inauguration and coordination among several federal agencies, Congress, and the Supreme Court to ensure the protection of federal properties.
Washington remains on edge following the breach at the Capitol led by hundreds of rioters who stormed after lawmakers, following a pro-Trump rally to protest the certification of President-elect Joe Biden as president.
Amid the chaos, five people, including a Capitol Hill police officer, died. Several members of the Trump administration as well as the Capitol Police chief resigned in the ensuing days as Democrats and some Republicans push for removing Trump from office early.
Biden is set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20. Trump said he would not attend the ceremony, but Vice President Mike Pence is expected to be there. Trump said there will be a peaceful transfer of power after Congress resumed its special session on Jan. 6 to certify Biden as the next president.
