In photos: US Capitol in lockdown as preparations underway for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration Published January 18, 2021 Updated January 18, 2021
The U.S. Capitol complex was shut down for about an hour on Monday out of an abundance of caution after a small fire broke out nearby, underscoring security jitters days before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
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Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller said there was no proof of an insider threat
A fire under a bridge near the Capitol building produced huge plumes of smoke on Monday morning
It sent the nearby rehearsal into a panic and staffers ran for their lives from the bleachers set up
A loudspeaker announcement played warning people to evacuate; no public officials were in attendance
Staffers in nearby buildings were told to stay away from windows and the military was evacuated
The fire department later tweeted that the smoke came from a fire beneath a bridge a short distance away
Washington Highly Militarized Ahead of Biden’s Inauguration
Fences with coiled barbed wire, security checkpoints, barricades, and heavily armed guards are what you would expect in a military encampment for a warzone, not in downtown Washington. But these are only some of the measures that have been put in place in preparation for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.
Federal authorities have said they’re tracking an “extensive” amount of “concerning online chatter” about potential threats to the inauguration, including armed protests, potential threats linked to the Capitol breach, and other types of potential threats.
The fortification of the city, particularly around the White House and U.S. Capitol, began over the past few days and is expected to ramp up nearing Jan. 20.