The New York Police Department will send 200 of its officers to Washington next week to help law enforcement on Inauguration Day, according to a report.
The 36,000-officer NYPD agreed to assist Washington officials following the district’s request to regional partners seeking an additional 3,000 law enforcement officers for Jan. 20, the day that President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office, the New York Post reported late Sunday.
Although the Biden transition team has urged Americans not to travel to Washington to take part in inauguration events, district officials are concerned that agitated supporters of President Trump could once again descend on D.C. to riot on the National Mall or other places across the city. Last Wednesday, thousands of people attempted to overtake the U.S. Capitol following a Trump rally at which the president said the election was illegitimate. Hundreds of people trespassed inside the Capitol in an event that turned deadly.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser asked the Department of Homeland Security on Sunday to cancel all demonstrations between Monday, Jan. 18 and Sunday, Jan. 24, in an effort to prevent large numbers of people from accumulating on the National Mall and other places downtown.
The NYPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
