WASHINGTON – Federal officials reported just three arrests on Wednesday, none of them involving violence, as an unprecedented lockdown secured the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Despite fears that domestic extremists will attempt new attacks just two weeks after the deadly assault on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Secret Service has reported only 13 arrests since January 13, when federal authorities launched a massive defensive operation to secure the city for the inauguration.
Two people were arrested on Wednesday for carrying unregistered ammunition, while a third was found in possession of a pellet gun, as ceremonies stretching from the Capitol to Arlington Cemetery proceeded without incident .
Less than 24 hours after Biden was sworn in, some of the extreme security measures, which included the deployment of 25,000 National Guard troops, began to loosen.
Workers began to dismantle iron fences, concrete barricades were removed, vehicle checkpoints were abandoned, and bridges reopened as the fortress capital slowly began to shed its collective armor.
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At the Lincoln Memorial, the white fabric pillars lining the reflecting pool were being dismantled. And the masses of troops guarding the intersections were gone.
Small groups of Guard members were leaving their hotels and preparing to return home for their civilian duties, and the palpable sense of tension eased considerably as FedEx delivery drivers resumed dropping packages into areas formerly inaccessible to the public.
Captain Erik Lahr of the Vermont Army National Guard said the 100 or so soldiers he led continued to perform assigned security duties: “No incidents and everyone is safe,” he said. he declared by SMS. “I am very proud of all the soldiers we brought from Vermont, they are true professionals. Their hard work here is recognized.
The Vermont Guard soldiers were part of the 172nd Cavalry Regiment, 86th Infantry Combat Team (Mountain), and they were originally assigned as a rapid response unit.
Commanders of military units largely kept their armored vehicles off the streets, instead placing dozens of armored security vehicles at a nearby National Guard post.
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The streets of downtown remained largely empty and quiet except for the incessant beeps of construction equipment removing barricades and the grunts and yells of workers lifting sandbags and removing fences.
As the day wore on, the sound of screw guns began to echo through the streets as contractors removed the plywood protecting the windows.
Aside from the removal of fences and soldiers, there was little sign of a new presidential administration started, other than new signs of federal office buildings requiring people to wear masks indoors.
“It’s good for business to get back to normal,” said Tom Lien, owner of the Capitol Grounds Café near the White House. Lien said the scenes of soldiers and roadblocks were like living on a movie set.
On Thursday morning, he observed the dismantling of checkpoints and the withdrawal of soldiers. He said some of the roadblocks further away from the Capitol and the White House seemed unnecessary, but believed the security measures were appropriate.
“I think because of what happened it caused them to be a little more careful,” he said. “There was no chaos. It was pretty safe.
Lisa Vasquez, 63, came from Florida to watch the inaugural events and said she was disappointed that security measures prevent her from seeing much.
Vasquez led his dog Chihuahua, London, to the White House Thursday morning as mechanics dismantled the lifts used by reporters to document Biden’s arrival at the White House.
Vasquez, who owns a small taxi business in Punta Gorda, said she hoped to find the White House gift shop so that she could shop for souvenirs for her friends.
“It was worth it,” she said of the 1,000 km journey she made with London and her cat, Windsor, who was relaxing in her hotel room next door. “I feel like I’m bringing a bright light to the nation’s capital, to be a part of it, to hold the light and shine. “
Learn more about the inauguration:
Biden to sign 10 more COVID-19 orders and directives on full day one
As riot arrests on Capitol Hill increase, FBI says extremist Oath Keepers conspired in attack
Joseph Biggs, organizer of Proud Boys, charged in deadly riot on Capitol Hill
‘Americans are helping Americans’: Members of the National Guard protecting the Capitol fed thousands of meals by celebrity chef José Andrés
