Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has extended her declaration of a public emergency for an additional 15 days — through Inauguration Day.
Bowser’s move comes after rioters breached the D.C. Capitol building, causing destruction and mayhem, in protest of Wednesday’s Electoral College certification. She also declared a curfew to begin at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday in response to the storming of the Capitol.
What are the details?
According to WTTG-TV, the declaration will allow Bowser to call a curfew at any time between Wednesday and through Inauguration Day. Bowser shared a portion of the order on Twitter, writing, “I have issued Mayor’s Order 2021-003 extending the public emergency declared earlier today for a total of 15 days, until and unless provided for by further Mayoral Order.”
According to the declaration, the order is expected to end on Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. local time.
President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
A portion of Bowser’s order states, “Today, First Amendment protests turned violent. Many persons came to the District armed and for the purpose of engaging in violence and destruction and have engaged in violence and destruction. They have fired chemical irritants, bricks, bottles, and guns. They have breached the security of the Capitol and their destructive and riotous behavior has the potential to spread beyond the Capitol.”
“Their motivation is ongoing,” the order continued. “Today, they sought to disrupt the Congressional proceedings relating to the acceptance of electoral college votes.”
According to a report from The Hill, D.C. City Administrator Kevin Donahue was given authorization to implement such measures that are “necessary or appropriate to protect persons and property in the District of Columbia from the conditions caused by this public emergency.”
“This order gives multiple D.C. leaders such as the City Administrator, Deputy Mayor and Chief Financial Officer the authority to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in order to ‘recoup expenditures incurred, or obtain funding needed, under this order,'” the outlet adds.
You can read the full declaration here.
I have issued Mayor’s Order 2021-003, extending the public emergency declared earlier today for a total of 15 days,… https://t.co/dUY9842r8E
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@Mayor Muriel Bowser)1609991184.0