Washington, D.C. is taking a defensive posture in the lead-up to Inauguration Day. Some 25,000 National Guard troops have been OK’d to descend on the city at the behest of the Secret Service.
Fast Facts
- The Secret Service is the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating security for the event.
- The 59th Presidential Inauguration to swear in Biden has faced unique hurdles due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the heightened security threat after a riot on the nation’s Capitol earlier this month left five people dead.
Here’s what you need to know about the city’s security plan:
Secret Service leads in security details
Every year, the Presidential Inauguration is designated a recurring National Special Security Event (NSSE). When an event is given this designation, the Secret Service becomes the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating security for the event.
Double threat: Coronavirus pandemic and violent extremists
The 59th Presidential Inauguration to swear in Biden has faced unique hurdles due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the heightened security threat after a riot on the nation’s Capitol earlier this month left five people dead.
Road closures and transit disruptions
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the city’s Metro has closed 13 of its stations as well as four major bridges. Transit lines, including trains and buses, will be suspended and wide swaths of streets in and around the Capitol will be closed off.
Statehouses at risk
Statehouses around the country — many of which have faced sometimes violent protests — are also facing heightened security risks.
Follow below for the latest updates on Biden’s inauguration and the Capitol riots.
