Airbnb announced on Wednesday that it is canceling and blocking reservations in the Washington DC area during President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration week, scheduled for January 20. The company said the decision was made “in response to several local, state and federal officials asking people not to travel to Washington, DC”
He also said he is aware of reports of “well-known armed militias and hate groups that are trying to travel and disrupt possession”.
Guests impacted by the measures will be reimbursed, and the hosts will be reimbursed at the company’s expense, according to a company press release. In addition, HotelTonight reservations will also be canceled as it is owned by Airbnb.
The announcement came a week after pro-Trump protesters invaded the United States Capitol, causing five deaths. Investigators are now following up on clues and work cases in more than 30 states related to the attack and possession next week.
Airbnb said on Monday it was reviewing reservations in the Washington, DC area, and would prevent any guests associated with hate groups or violent activities. He also said he would warn all guests in the Washington region that he can file a lawsuit against them if they are members of hate groups or if they plan violent activities.
Airbnb said on Wednesday that it continues to “ensure that members of the hate group are not part of the Airbnb community”.
“As we learned through the media or law enforcement sources, the names of individuals confirmed as responsible for violent criminal activity on the United States Capitol on January 6, we investigate whether the individuals mentioned have an Airbnb account,” reads the statement press release. “Through this work, we identified a number of individuals who are associated with known hate groups or otherwise involved in criminal activity on Capitol Hill, and they have been banned from the Airbnb platform. ”
Some city officials have asked Airbnb, as well as VRBO and other rental hosts, to remove their listings by the end of the opening on January 20.
“There is no way to guarantee that your guests will not come to incite violence,” said Janeese Lewis George, a Washington councilor, in a Tweet on Monday. “Please protect your neighbors and the district from further attacks.”