Will the National Mall be closed? What about First Amendment activities?
National Mall Superintendent Jeff Reinbold said the National Parks Service had worked with groups already permitted to use the area next week to find other venues for their activities. But, Reinbold said, there will be spaces for First Amendment activities on Inauguration Day, despite the Mall being closed.
“We are the premier First Amendment area in the country, in the world probably, and we wanted to see if we could do that,” Reinbold said.
Those areas will be located on Pennsylvania Avenue at the Navy Memorial and John Marshall Park. Reinbold said those wanting to exercise their First Amendment rights will have to pass through a magnetometer and will be escorted in and out of the area by U.S. Park Police.
Washington City Paper What We Know About Inauguration Day So Far D.C. should expect about 20,000 National Guard members, and restaurants, hotels, and other businesses are already closing. Success! You re on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn t process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again. Processing…
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Inauguration Day is five days away. Law enforcement, from Metropolitan Police Department officers to National Guard troops, line the streets around the U.S. Capitol and White House. Downtown D.C. is a place of plywood and concrete barriers. The District is under a state of emergency until Jan. 24. Expect interruptions to daily life until the inauguration is over.
Parking Restrictions
End – 6:00 a.m., Thursday, January 21, 2021
Massachusetts Ave NE (North Capitol Street, NE to 3rd St, NE) – Closed
Columbus Circle NE (All Lanes. All Directions) – Closed
Louisiana Ave NE (North Capitol Street, NE to Columbus Circle, NE) – Closed
1st St NE (K St, NE to Massachusetts Ave, NE)
Only local traffic with garage passes and identification
G St, NE (North Capitol Street, NE to 1st St, NE) – Closed
G Place, NE (North Capitol Street, NE to 1st St, NE) – Closed
H St, NE (North Capitol Street, NE to 3rd St, NE)
May be subject to temporary closures from 12pm to 11pm
Fortress DC: Capitol locked down a week ahead of inauguration Print this article
Washington, D.C., has many of the looks of a war zone.
In an unprecedented move, the government and private sector have partnered to lock down the district ahead of next week s inauguration.
Normal security precautions for an inauguration entail blocking off streets near several locations a couple of days in advance. This year, neighborhoods near the White House, Capitol Hill, and in between the two famous buildings have transitioned into fenced-in city blocks where residents cannot drive out of apartment building garages or even walk outside without expecting to be questioned by police.