The nation’s capital is continuing to secure the inaugural activities by immediately closing down the National Mall and surrounding landmarks until at least January 21.
The Mall includes landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. The area around the White House has also been closed, as has a key bridge over the Potomac River that connects Virginia to Washington, as well as East and West Potomac Parks, including Hains Point, which are near the Mall.
Officials are also erecting vehicle checkpoints at a security perimeter surrounding central Washington.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said that heightened security measures could remain in the city well after Inauguration Day.
“We are going to go back to a new normal,” Bowser said. “We certainly have to think about a new posture in the city. So while we are focused on January the 20th, we are also focused on January the 21st and every day thereafter in the nation’s capital.”
Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, told CNN that Biden’s team had decided to delay the inauguration rehearsal by one day due to “some of the online chatter talks about Sunday the 17th.”
