On January 14, members of the National Guard in the Capitol area in Washington, DC, USA.
On January 17, local time, the 72-hour countdown to the inauguration ceremony of the new US President Biden has entered. During the field visit, the reporter saw that Washington, the capital of the United States, which has been in shock since the riots on Capitol Hill, is now "fully armed". The White House, the Capitol and other places are "heavily guarded", and security facilities such as fences and roadblocks are common in the city center. Under the double shadow of the threat of violence and the spread of the epidemic, officials in Washington and nearby States have a suggestion for the American people who have the idea of viewing the ceremony — — Don’t come.
like confronting a formidable or mortal enemy—be on one’s guard against all possible dangers
The United States is fully guarded by land, sea and air.
"I’ve never seen this before."
The violent attack of demonstrators on the capitol on January 6 undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Washington’s psychological defense. The early warning of possible violent demonstrations before and after the inauguration ceremony has made Washington highly alert. Washington has continuously upgraded its security measures in the past few days and has entered a state of emergency since January 11.
In this case, the "nerve" of security work continues to be stimulated. According to local media reports, on January 15th, local time, the police arrested a man driving a truck at a checkpoint near the Capitol and found that he was carrying a pistol full of bullets, with more than 500 bullets in it and a forged document.
At present, downtown Washington is quite like a heavily guarded military base, with many soldiers, fences and roadblocks.
The U.S. Department of Defense said on January 15th that as many as 25,000 National Guard members have been authorized to assist in the security work of the inauguration ceremony of the President. This scale is equivalent to five times the total number of US troops currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Capitol and the White House are undoubtedly the two "key protection objects" related to Biden’s inauguration ceremony on January 20. The reporter saw that the Capitol, the White House and the nearby main sections have been surrounded by high fences to prevent climbing and roadblocks. Some major intersections have military personnel on duty and military vehicles parked, and security checks are provided for personnel and vehicles.
National mall, which is located between the Capitol and the White House, is closed for a week from January 15th. Washington Monument, the highest landmark in Washington, was closed from January 11th to 24th. Thirteen subway stations and several bus lines near the White House and the Capitol will be temporarily closed.
500 meters away from the North Gate of the White House, it can be seen that members of the American National Guard are fully armed to guard the intersection. 14th Street, not far from the White House, was originally quite busy, with restaurants, cafes and bars on both sides of the street, but there were few people this weekend. Many building doors and windows are nailed with wooden boards to prevent violence.
A passerby told reporters: "I have never seen this battle."
The capitals of 50 States in the United States are ready to respond to the demonstrations of Trump supporters. California, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin all started the National Guard, and Texas directly closed the capital, and some States prohibited carrying weapons … … Each state has launched a variety of security measures to ensure safety during the inauguration ceremony.
According to Politico, the transportation modes of land, sea and air have all strengthened security. Major airlines are now banned from carrying guns, and alcohol services on board are suspended. The airport has opened a safe passage to protect officials from the threat of crowds. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also issued new regulations on high fines and even imprisonment for passengers in advance. In addition, trains and subways have taken corresponding measures such as closing stations or strengthening security forces.
Serious epidemic situation
The National Guard has no COVID-19 test plan.
The number of infected people is bound to increase further.
According to CNN, in order to ensure the security of the capital during the inauguration ceremony, the Pentagon authorized about 25,000 National Guards to travel to Washington. However, when this large number of personnel were dispatched, it was also the time when the United States had the largest number of deaths in the COVID-19 epidemic. According to Johns Hopkins University, in the first two weeks of 2021, that is, the first half of January, there were more than 3.2 million new cases in the United States.
A spokesman for the National Guard told CNN that most of the more than 20,000 National Guards had not been tested for COVID-19 before or after they were deployed from various states in the United States to Washington, D.C.. The spokesman said that the COVID-19 test for members of the National Guard was conducted "on a case-by-case basis", and those who had symptoms or had been exposed to Covid-19 were encouraged to take the test, but there was no extensive requirement. The existing screening procedures include temperature detection and screening inquiry. When the task to be performed allows, wearing a mask and social distance will also be carried out accordingly.
However, as we all know, asymptomatic infected people will also spread the virus. Without extensive testing, it is difficult to confirm whether any of these more than 20 thousand people carry the virus. In the event of a riot like January 6, it is impossible to maintain social distance.
According to the US Military Times, as of the afternoon of 15th local time, 43 of the more than 7,000 national guards in Washington have tested positive for Covid-19. As more national guards gather from all over the United States, the number of infected people is bound to increase further.
Jon harris, Major General of the Ohio National Guard, recently publicly expressed his worries: "I want to remind you that these National Guard people we called to work were doing other tasks the other day and had no idea that they would come to Washington. Bringing these people together is a real worry for us. "
Greater threat
There are "lone wolf" extremists recently.
Far more intense "counterattack"?
According to The Wall Street Journal, with the dramatic escalation of security measures in Washington, D.C. and state capitals, extremist organizations have also changed their strategies, which means that "lone wolf" extremists will become a greater threat in the next period of time, and it also means that a more intense "counterattack" may be ushered in for a longer period of time in the future.
It is reported that far-right organizations such as "Pride Boy" and "The Oathkeepers" who participated in the riots on January 6 urged their followers to avoid major cities with strong security forces at present, or to keep a "low profile" completely and avoid large-scale gatherings, or to gather outside the state capital.
However, these people still oppose the incoming new government team. Under the recent tight security, "lone wolf" extremists are difficult to monitor and pose the greatest threat. In the longer term, when the security deployment is relaxed, these far-right groups may become more aggressive in the next few months.
In an email sent on the 13th, the leaders of "Promise Keepers" also called the incoming president "illegal", demanded "assembly now" and reminded them to assemble near the state capital.
Enrique Tario, the leader of "Pride Boy", said in an interview on 15th that he is now considering some demonstrations that are "more effective, with fewer people, but can create more sparks", and may also participate in some non-violent activities, such as disturbing politicians’ speeches at rallies.
The Chinese Embassy in the United States "strongly reminds"
In addition to Washington, DC, many States in the United States have also stepped up their prevention against possible local violence before and after the inauguration ceremony of the president.
The Chinese Embassy in the United States issued an important notice on January 15, strongly reminding citizens and institutions in China to pay attention to the social security and epidemic situation in the United States:
At present, the security situation in the United States is extremely grim. Washington, D.C. has declared a state of emergency. The National Guard has deployed large-scale forces to safeguard the security of the capital, and various states have taken corresponding security measures to varying degrees. The social security situation is highly worrying. Recently, a citizen of China who is studying for a doctorate was shot and killed innocently. The epidemic situation in the United States is still developing, the number of confirmed cases and deaths has reached record highs, and mutant viruses are constantly appearing. The Embassy of China in the United States once again reminds citizens and institutions in China to raise their awareness of safety protection, pay close attention to local public security and epidemic situation, be vigilant and avoid going to demonstrations, assemblies and other gathering areas.
Know more about the news
On January 20th, Biden’s inauguration ceremony will be held in the Capitol as usual.
Trump has made it clear that he will not attend Biden’s inauguration ceremony. Although this is not the first time in history that the outgoing president missed the inauguration ceremony of his successor, it is also the first time in more than 150 years.
In the past, there was a presidential inauguration parade after the inauguration ceremony, which could March along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, but this link will probably shrink this year.
An activity was added before the inauguration this year, and a ceremony was planned to be held in the reflection pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial on the evening of January 19th to mourn the American people who lost their lives in the COVID-19 epidemic.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star Journalist Lin Rong Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency