National Guard troops are flooding the U.S. Capitol ahead of the planned inauguration on Jan. 20.
The number of troops being deployed is massive, with reports that there will be from 15,000 to 20,000 protecting the area. According to Fox, that’s three times the number of U.S. troops currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
The inauguration is already largely curtailed because of the Wuhan coronavirus, with a lot of parts being virtual so there wouldn’t be the same number of outdoor events, although the oath of office is expected to be outside. Public access to the inauguration has basically been cut off with fencing going up everywhere and stands being taken down. There will be no public access to the Capitol grounds during the inauguration, acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said on Monday. City officials have established a perimeter throughout downtown, putting up barriers around the White House, the National Mall and the Capitol. In order to travel through the perimeter, people will need to provide proof of what they are doing there.
But the National Guard is just all over the Capitol, in all the halls, even in the visitor’s center and yes, they are all armed.
@mkraju Racks upon racks of rifles and pistols. National guard gearing up at the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/EzRriokncu
— Josh Replogle CNN (@Joshrepp) January 13, 2021
National Guard members sleeping inside the U.S. Capitol. pic.twitter.com/lQBRvKM7nH
— Luke Stier 😷 (@LukeStier) January 13, 2021
This is what the Capitol looks like Wednesday morning with National Guard members deployed ahead of the House vote to impeach President Trump a second time https://t.co/PFMwD0FWca pic.twitter.com/SEoKV6q9vC
— CNN (@CNN) January 13, 2021
— Emily Cochrane (@ESCochrane) January 13, 2021
Rep. Chris Smith, who had stopped by to say hello to guardsmen from his state of New Jersey, says the overwhelming show of force at the Capitol today is intended to "hopefully" have a "chilling effect on anyone who seeks to do harm"
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 13, 2021
After I commented on the fact they’re sleeping on cold marble floors, and that they could some cots, one National Guard soldier politely declined.
He was afraid they would “destroy the floors of one of the coolest buildings in the world.”
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 13, 2021
Rep. Chris Smith, who had stopped by to say hello to guardsmen from his state of New Jersey, says the overwhelming show of force at the Capitol today is intended to "hopefully" have a "chilling effect on anyone who seeks to do harm"
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 13, 2021
While there are local guard, they’ve shipped in many more from places like New Jersey.
Obviously, the idea is a massive show of force to discourage anything like happened last Wednesday.
Ton of fencing also going up, far more than ever there was for the BLM protests.
HAPPENING NOW:
New fencing going up at the National Mall 🚧⚠️🚨 pic.twitter.com/bZ5LcS24a7— Richie🎥McG🍿 (@RichieMcGinniss) January 13, 2021
Big BLM/media guy derided the show of force saying it wasn’t anything compared to what they saw during BLM protests (when in fact, it’s far more).
View of heavily armed police and national guard outside Capitol on #ImpeachmentDay. Add 100 more cops and it will resemble a summer racial justice protest on BLMPlaza pic.twitter.com/UJEZ84l2NL
— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) January 13, 2021
Leftist BLM folks were there, agitating for Congressional members to be expelled while also chanting “America was never great,” seemingly not seeing the irony in their calls as they continue to attacked America and screamed curses at the police.
Protesters yell at the police line now formed at 3rd and Pennsylvania pic.twitter.com/TyfX63P0Fi
— Richie🎥McG🍿 (@RichieMcGinniss) January 13, 2021
At critical times over the summer, such as during the Republican National Convention, the Democratic Mayor, Muriel Bowser refused to call in the National Guard to protect Republicans at the event. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and others were assaulted and harassed by BLM and Antifa members.
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