DC Prepares For Threat Of Violence Leading Up To Inauguration

Michael O'Connell
Updated ·6 min read

WASHINGTON, DC — D.C.'s top law enforcement officer remains concerned about the threat of violence through this weekend and beyond in light of intelligence reports showing large groups of people planning to come to the city to disrupt the Jan. 20 inauguration.

"There's a major security threat and we are working to mitigate those threats," Chief Robert Contee of the Metropolitan Police Department said on Wednesday. "We are intently focused on the job at hand."

A week after pro-Trump rioters stormed and occupied the U.S. Capitol, Mayor Muriel Bowser and her advisors updated District residents on security plans for the 59th Presidential Inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

"We have asked Americans not to come to the Washington, D.C. event, but instead to participate virtually," Bowser said. "We know that that is the right choice and the way to keep everyone safe."

Intelligence shows as many as 10,000 Trump supporters have active plans to form a perimeter around the Capitol, the White House and the Supreme Court as Biden takes the oath. The reported plot, which surfaced on an encrypted communications app Telegram, also includes an assassination plot, according to intelligence reports.

Information shared on the app included instructions on making, concealing and using homemade guns and bombs, NBC News reported. Content on white supremacy has been freely shared for months on the app created by a Dubai-based messaging service, NBC reported, but chatter picked up significantly after the Capitol siege.

Contee estimated that more than 20,000 members of the National Guard will be deployed to the District in response to the threat of violence.

Bowser sent a letter Sunday to the Department of Homeland Security and asked then-acting DHS Secretary Chad F. Wolf for a more coordinated federal response to inauguration security than was demonstrated on Jan. 6 at the Capitol. Wolf tendered his resignation on Monday, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

President Trump acted on Bowser's request Monday and declared a pre-Emergency Declaration in D.C. This will help to expedite direct federal assistance to the District to prepare for the inauguration. In addition, DHS has agreed to extend the National Special Security Event period, so that it begins on Wednesday instead of on Jan 19, as originally planned.

Bowser had also called on DHS to coordinate with Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the departments of Defense and Justice to establish a security and federal force deployment plan for all federal property. All of those bodies have increased their for the inauguration period and will be led by the U.S. Secret Service. The FBI is also providing daily threat briefings.

In the aftermath of the storming of the Capitol, Bowser criticized the federal government's preparations and response, calling it a catastrophic security failure. She sees the preparations for the upcoming inauguration differently.

"The events of Jan. 6, the insurrection of the Capitol, those protests did not fall into a National Special Security Event category," Bowser said. "The inauguration of the president does. That puts in place an entirely different command and control structure within the federal government. We are very confident about that type of coordination as we have been with other National Special Security Events."

Discussions are continuing with the Department of the Interior on Bowser's request to cancel all public gathering permits already granted in the District and to deny any future applications for such permits during the inauguration period.

When asked about the willingness of the Interior Department to deny public gathering permits, Bowser acknowledged Secretary David Bernhardt's concerns over whether he could approve or disapprove certain permits.

"We continue to ask them to look at the public gatherings where there are people," the mayor said. "We encourage them to work with the Presidential Inauguration Committee as well. Also to look to the D.C. experience because we have denied permits throughout the response to COVID and we know that we have the authority to do that because they pose a public health threat."

Back in December, Bowser ordered a pause on Phase Two activities in the Central Business District to stem the spread of COVID-19 during the holidays. On Monday, she extended the pause through Friday, Jan. 22, at 10 a.m. The pause was scheduled to expire on Friday.

With the pause, there will be no in-person dining in the District and museums and libraries will continue being closed for indoor services. In addition, all non-essential, non-retail businesses will be required to telework, except for in-person staff required to maintain minimum business operations.

"During this time, we are asking our residents to avoid our central business district," Bowser said. "Only travel to the central business district if you have essential business."

Physical preparations have already started for the inauguration, including installing fencing around the perimeter of the White House, the National Mall, the Capitol, and other parts of the downtown area. Those entering the perimeter may be subject to screening and be asked to provide a proof of their reason for being there.

In preparation for the inauguration, the U.S. Capitol Police announced Tuesday the closure of the following streets until further notices:

  • Independence Avenue between Washington Avenue, SW, and Second Street, SE.

  • Constitution Avenue between First Street, NW, and Second Street, NE.

  • East Capitol Street between First and Second Streets.

  • Massachusetts Avenue between Second Street and Louisiana Avenue, NE

  • Louisiana Avenue between Massachusetts Avenue, NE, and Constitution Avenue, NW

  • D Street between Louisiana and New Jersey Avenues, NW

  • New Jersey Avenue between D Street and Louisiana Avenue, NW

  • C Street between First Street and Louisiana Avenue, NW

  • First Street between C Street and Louisiana Avenue, NW

  • Constitution Avenue between Second Street, NW, and Second Street, NE

  • Third Street between Constitution Avenue, NW, and Independence Avenue, SW

  • I-395 Exit at Second and C Streets, SW

  • Independence Avenue between Third Street, SW, and Second Street, SE

  • Independence Avenue between Third Street, SW, and Second Street, SE

  • Washington Avenue between Independence Avenue and D Street, SW

  • Second Street between C Street, SE, and Massachusetts Avenue, NE

All parking garages in restricted zones will be blocked off beginning at 6 a.m., on Friday, Jan. 15. Vehicles parked in the garages at that time must remain there until after the inauguration. Business that need to receive shipments will be advised of an off-site screening facility.

"Clearly, we are in uncharted waters and it is very important that we work with all of our partners to secure these events and secure these parts of our city," Bowser said. "Certainly at this time last year, we didn't expect to be in this situation. Even last week, we didn't expect starting this early."

Bowser also said that District residents should expect some disruption to public transportation during the inaugural period, including Metrobus and Metrorail.

In addition, Airbnb canceled reservations to the D.C. area during the inauguration.

To receive D.C. Government updates on the inauguration, residents are encouraged to text INAUG2021 to 888-777.

Also see ...

Coordinated Security Response Needed For Inauguration: DC Mayor

'Catastrophic Failure' At US Capitol Must Be Investigated: Mayor

80 Arrested For Civil Unrest At US Capitol And Around DC

Trump Mob Attacks Capitol; 4 Deaths; 69 Arrests; FBI Seeks Tips

This article originally appeared on the Washington DC Patch