Authorities in Washington, DC, are preparing for more extremist violence in the next few days, after supporters of President Trump invaded and violated the U.S. Capitol last week in a deadly riot that left five people dead.
Federal law enforcement agencies have issued an urgent request for assistance to protect the country’s capital as the inauguration approaches, CNN reported, warning that domestic extremists are likely to be more encouraged to carry out attacks on Biden’s possession and throughout 2021 after seeing the success of the US Capitol.
More than 20,000 National Guard soldiers may be in Washington to help secure Biden’s tenure, Washington police chief Robert Contee said on Wednesday, and sources told CNN that officials are considering raising the bar. of terrorist threat.
The National Mall, for its part, will be closed to the general public on opening day due to security concerns, according to an official familiar with the discussions.
The official said there will be no screens, toilets or panels where people will stand, and that the public will not be able to go down to the mall where thousands traditionally gather to watch the new president take office.
President-elect Joe Biden’s aides, who are helping to plan the grand opening, say it is intended to be a virtual event. They did not object to the tightened security restrictions recommended by officials in the Mall or the area surrounding the White House.
Discussions are ongoing between the District of Columbia, the National Parks Service and the United States Department of the Interior about when the shutdown will take place. There will be no access on January 20, but just before that it is still under discussion.
The National Parks Service said in a statement that an announcement will be made by the United States Department or Secret Service when a final decision is made.
National Mall restrictions were first reported by the Washington Post.
President-elect and vice-president-elect Kamala Harris are yet to take their oaths of office on the West Front of the United States Capitol during a significantly reduced event. Biden said this week that he “is not afraid to take the oath out there” and that his team has received instructions after the violence.
On Wednesday, Biden received an instruction from senior FBI officials, the Secret Service and key members of his national security team on the potential for further extremist violence in the coming days, according to the president-elect’s transition team.
See security precautions around Capitol: