Heightened Security in Place for Donald Trump's Inauguration
- Ist
Washington, D.C, VIVA – Metal fences, concrete barriers and security checkpoints still line many the walkways and cross streets of the National Mall – extending from the U.S. Capitol down past some of Washington’s most noted landmarks – as the nation prepares to swear in its 47th president.
But while the 0.6-square-kilometer (146-acre) swath of land is often the highlight of many a tourist visit, it is no longer the focus of security efforts for when President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office for a second time.
Frigid temperatures forecast for much of Monday led Donald Trump to move the festivities inside – the inauguration to the U.S. Capitol Rotunda and the traditional inaugural parade to the nearby Capital One Arena.
Presiden AS Terpilih Donald Trump.
- (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The changes, first announced Friday, presented a last-minute hitch for security and law enforcement officials, who had been planning for the inauguration for the past year, as quoted from VOA news.
And it has left them, and the approximately 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel charged with security, with multiple challenges.
“We will shift those assets. We have not cut anything from what our original plan was, and I’m very confident, with our partners here, we will be ready," said the U.S. Secret Service’s Matt McCool, briefing reporters Sunday.
The numbers could make the situation especially trying. Organizers had expected about 250,000 ticketed guests to descend on the U.S. Capitol and the National Mall to watch the inauguration.
Only a select few will be allowed into the Capitol Rotunda, which accommodates just 600 people. And the Capital One Area seats just 20,000.
If even just a fraction of the 250,000 people who had planned on attending the inauguration try to get to the arena, there could be a crunch.
Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said Sunday her force, bolstered by and about 4,000 police officers from across the U.S., will be ready.
