Media Credit: Gabrielle Rhoads | Staff Photographer
A bin of Biden/Harris inauguration pins.
Massive road closures, a heightened security presence and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced people to observe President Joe Biden’s inauguration from afar this year.
Areas like the National Mall and Constitution Avenue, typically packed with attendees pining to catch a glimpse of the new president, were blocked off to the public amid safety concerns after a siege on the U.S. Capitol earlier this month. Although some conflict was anticipated, the city saw few people protesting Biden’s presidency throughout the day.
Here’s a glimpse of the day from the outskirts of the Capitol:
Joe Biden takes part in virtual prayer service broadcast from National Cathedral in final act of his COVID-safe inauguration – before getting to work on dealing with pandemic
Joe Biden will close out his inaugural events Thursday morning by watching a virtual inauguration prayer service hosted by the Washington National Cathedral before getting to work
The president will deliver remarks on his administration s plan to tackle the coroanvirus pandemic before signing even more executive orders and actions related to the crisis
He will then receive an update from his COVID-19 task force, led by Obama-era veteran Jeff Zients
On Wednesday, Biden spent his first few hours as president signing 17 executive orders and actions, undoing much of donald Trump s legacy – like the southern border wall and Muslim travel ban
26,000 National Guard troops came to DC and protected the inauguration without incident. Now the drawdown begins January 21 National Guard troops in Washington in the wake of a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 talk about the experience of being mobilized to the city in the midst of potential unrest around the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden. After every military troop surge eventually comes the drawdown, and that’s what is starting to take place in Washington. There were no security incidents reported involving the National Guard, officials said in a media release. “The National Guard is now focusing on coordinating with federal law enforcement to meet any continuing requirements while simultaneously working the logistics to return Guard members to their home states, families, and employers,” the release stated. “As the mission wraps up in the capital region, the National Guard Bureau is working to assist states with preparations and
How D.C. Bars and Restaurants Are Preparing for a Bizarre Inauguration Day
Share this story
This Inauguration Day, the majority of out-of-towners arriving in D.C. will wear camouflage fatigues and combat boots. Instead of an influx of tourists excited to cheer on the president-elect from a spot on the National Mall, the District is hosting an estimated 20,000 members of the National Guard. The novel coronavirus pandemic was always going to dampen the atmosphere for Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony. But heightened security measures necessitated by a pro-Trump mob’s violent insurrection in the Capitol will make Wednesday, January 20, even more unusual. D.C. restaurants and bars would normally look look to Inauguration Day as a festive event full of packed bars, banquets, and sold-out private rooms. Instead, eating and drinking establishments around the city are deciding whether it makes sense to open at all.