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16 groups, including armed groups and mostly loyal supporters of President Donald Trump, have registered to hold protests in Washington. This made federal officials deeply concerned about the upcoming inauguration.
Amid the increasing number of Covid-19 infections and recent Capitol riots, leaders from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia have issued a notice demanding that residents not attend his inauguration. Joe Biden, but followed through through the media.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informed local authorities of the possibility of armed demonstrations in all 50 state capitals, organized by far-right extremist groups. and motivating.
About 6,000 National Guard soldiers from six states arrived in Washington. Photo: NY Times
On January 11, General Daniel Hokanson, director of the National Guard, said that some 6,000 National Guard soldiers from six states had arrived in Washington. By the end of this week, that number is expected to increase to 10,000 soldiers.
At the same time, Department of Defense officials expressed concern that some of the protesters who stormed the Capitol were veterans. While the ministry has yet to announce a comprehensive search for National Guard soldiers who share the same views as those who support Trump, officials say they are reviewing photos and videos of the demonstrations. love.
Outside the Capitol, the United States Secret Service is installing a “multi-layer buffer” with vehicle control pins, metal detection, and security projectors.
Another Defense Department official revealed that law enforcement agencies are planning to respond to a variety of situations, some of which are “dire.” The scariest scenarios include snipers aiming to fire at the inauguration, “suicide planes” crashing into Washington’s confined airspace, and remotely controlled drones attacking crowds. .. Another situation that particularly concerned the authorities was that many armed men opened fire at the same time.
A Capitol Police Officer stands in the archway leading to the inaugural stage at the Capitol
Despite the security warnings, Biden’s inaugural committee said he was determined to appear outside at the event to call for a divided country to unite in times of political crisis and power. healthy community. The theme of the inauguration is “American Unity”.
Biden also plans to visit Arlington National Cemetery with three former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. This is another challenge for federal law enforcement.
In another development, on January 11, President Trump issued a state of emergency in Washington, citing “emergency conditions” surrounding President-elect Biden’s inauguration.
Earlier, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser made a similar move on January 6 after the Capitol riots. News of violent protests is planned to continue to spread before his inauguration, and Trump’s Jan. 11 order allows the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist the city in any urgent response.
Ms. Bowser wrote to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf on January 10, urging authorities to acknowledge a pre-disaster declaration in the city in preparation for his inauguration.
In the letter, he also requested an extension of the United States Secret Service National Special Security Event for the inauguration of January 11-24 instead of January 19-21 as the previous plan. After that, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would extend the time from January 13.
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