A rehearsal for U.S President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration has been postponed due to security concerns amid mounting fears of violen...
A rehearsal for U.S President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration has been postponed due to security concerns amid mounting fears of violent clashes in DC.
The rehearsal was scheduled for Sunday but has now been pushed back to Monday, according to Politico, who cited two people with knowledge of the decision.
Biden's team had also canceled an Amtrak trip from Wilmington to Washington on Monday due to heightened security concerns, the report added.
Biden will be inaugurated on Wednesday, January 20.
It comes after FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed Thursday that his organization was looking into individuals who could possibly threaten the safety of the inauguration.
'When we talk about potential threats, we have to say about that we are seeing an extensive amount of concerning online chatter about a number of events surrounding the inauguration,' he stated.
The National Guard has also been authorized to use lethal force to protect the Capitol, police officers and members of Congress as hundreds of troops flood into the nation''s capital.
A rehearsal for U.S President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration scheduled for Sunday has been postponed because of security concerns
Workers put concertina razor wire along the top of the 8-foot 'non-scalable' fence that surrounds the U.S. Capitol, with national guard troops watching on, the day after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump for the second time January 14 following the January 6 attack on the capitol by Trump's MAGA supporters
The rehearsal was scheduled for Sunday but has now been pushed back to Monday, according to Politico , who cited two people with knowledge of the decision
Barbed wire is installed on security fencing surrounding the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as security is tightened
Hundreds of National Guard troops hold inside the Capitol Visitor's Center to reinforce security at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13
National Guard troops continue to flood into the capital and have been told they are authorized to use deadly force against any terror threat
Members of the National Guard occupy the U.S. Capitol, rest in preparation for the upcoming pro-Trump rally Jan 17 and the inauguration in Washington, DC on Thursday
Vice President Mike Pence elbow bumps with a member of the National Guard as he speaks to troops outside the U.S. Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. The vice president was the target of some of last week's MAGA rioters who were heard shouting 'where's Pence' as they stormed the building on January 6
The Secret Service will take control of inauguration security preparations from today and road closures are now in effect across parts the downtown Washington DC area until after the inauguration. Further perimeters and additional road closures are expected in the coming days
A presidential inauguration traditionally draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Washington, but the ceremonies have been scaled back dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are also fears of unrest taking place across the city on the day.
Officials have warned of plans for armed protests in Washington and all 50 states and activist groups have been concerned about the potential for violence.
The warnings follow last week's assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump that left five people dead.
Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol last Wednesday, trying to halt the certification by Congress of Biden's election win.
Workers place concrete jersey barriers at the base of perimeter fences ahead of the inauguration next Wednesday
The National Guard arrives to secure a large perimeter in the downtown area near the White House ahead of the presidential inauguration
Flowers are placed on a fence, a week after a pro-Trump mob broke into and took over the Capitol, in memory of slain Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick on January 14
A member of the National Guard provides security at the US Capitol on January 14, 2021, in Washington, DC, a week after supporters of US President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol
Workers put up Biden-Harris branded bunting along the inaugural parade route near the White House on Thursday
A fence topped with razor wire surrounds the U.S. Capitol grounds ahead of the upcoming presidential inauguration set for January 20, in Washington, U.S. January 14
National Guard soldiers stand guard on the grounds around the US Capitol in DC on Thursday as security intensifies
Members of the Military Police are pictured sleeping in the Dirksen Senate Office on Thursday morning
National Guard soldiers are seen on Capitol Hill on Thursday
Barbed wire is installed on the top of a security fence surrounding the US Capitol on Thursday as security intensified ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration next week
Stores have boarded up their windows amid fear of further violence in D.C. in the lead up to Inauguration Day
FBI Director Chris Wray spoke more than a week after that riot warning the agency is monitoring major new 'potential' for armed violence nationwide around Biden's inauguration.
He appeared at a briefing on the inauguration security plans with Vice President Mike Pence Thursday and bluntly warned about the potential for armed protests in Washington D.C. and nationwide.
Wray said more threats were coming in ahead of January 20th's inauguration ceremony.
'Right now we're tracking calls for potential armed protests and activity leading up to the inauguration,' he noted.
Wray spoke as National Guard troops continued to flood into the capital and were told they are authorized to use deadly force against any terror threat.
He said much of the work was being done behind the scenes to get ready for next Wednesday, when Biden becomes the 46th president of the United States.
Wray assured the American people that they 'should be confident that there's an awful lot of work all across the country, going on behind the scenes out in spotlight.'
A presidential inauguration traditionally draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Washington, but the ceremonies have been scaled back dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured: President-elect Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 pandemic during an event at The Queen theater, Thursday, Jan. 14
2017 Inauguration: : U.S. President-elect Donald Trump arrives for the inauguration ceremonies swearing him in as the 45th president of the United States on the West front of the U.S. Capitol. The scenes this year will be a stark contrast from the previous inauguration, with heightened security and Covid-19 restrictions in place limiting attendance
Briefing: Chris Wray, the FBI director who has not been seen since the MAGA mob stormed the Capitol, briefed Mike Pence on inauguration security at the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Vice President Mike Pence thanks guardsmen during a stop at the Capitol on Thursday
His words come as law enforcement on Capitol Hill was criticized for not being better prepared for last week's attempted insurrection.
Wray acknowledged last Wednesday's riot and said the FBI have already made 100 arrests of MAGA rioters and said they have 100 more suspects identified.
'We're looking at individuals who may have an eye towards repeating that same kind of violence that we saw last week,' he said.
'My advice to people who might be inclined to follow in the footsteps of those [from last week] is to stay home,' Wrap said.
'From January 6th alone, we've already identified over 200 suspects. So we know who you are, if you're out there, and FBI agents are coming to find you.'
Pence thanked the group for their work and acknowledged the complications caused by the MAGA riot on Capitol Hill last week, when a group of pro-Trump insurgents swarmed the Capitol to interrupt the certification of Joe Biden's victory.
'We all lived through that day, January 6. As the President made clear yesterday, we are committed to an orderly transition into a safe inauguration. The American people deserve nothing less,' he said.
He vowed to make sure that Biden and incoming Vice President Kamala Harris 'are sworn in as the President and Vice President of the United States in a manner consistent with our history and traditions.'
Starting from Wednesday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said that anyone inside the inauguration perimeter might be stopped and questioned. Starting Friday, all parking garages in the downtown restricted zone will be sealed until after the inauguration
Workers set up barricades surrounding the U.S. Capitol late on Wednesday as additional warnings were sent out by the FBI
The warnings follow last week's assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump that left five people dead
Dozens of rioters stormed the Capitol last week (pictured), following a MAGA rally held by Donald Trump
A dire bulletin put out by the National Counterterrorism Center and the Justice and Homeland Security Departments on Wednesday warned of threats from armed militia groups and racist extremists. It did not detail specific plots to target next week's inauguration but warned that extremists largely viewed the violent breach of the Capitol as a success.
The joint intelligence bulletin, obtained by the New York Times, said extremists 'may exploit the aftermath of the Capitol breach by conducting attacks to destabilize and force a climactic conflict in the United States'.
The warning has been sent out to law enforcement agencies across the country. The FBI has already warned of armed protests being planned in Washington and all 50 state capitals in the run-up to the inauguration, including three separate plots to attack the Capitol.
In a call with thousands of police chiefs across the country on Wednesday, the FBI also urged law enforcement to be on high alert for any extremist activity and to share any intelligence they come across. The FBI said it was closely monitoring online activity related to planned plots and extremists but urged local law enforcement to be aware of lone wolf attacks, as well as violence planned by larger groups.
Warnings have also been issued about possible armed protests from the Boogaloo Boys - a movement that aims to start a second Civil War.
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton told NBC's Today that he would be more concerned about lone wolf militant attacks rather than plots involving larger groups. He warned that states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota were at higher risk of local attacks because of the less strict gun laws and militia history.
'I'd be more concerned about what you don't see in terms of serious militant type who'd try to upset this event rather than the large crowds we saw on January 6. But, thankfully the law enforcement officials are united this time,' Bratton said.
The FBI is warning police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity because the deadly siege on the Capitol will be a 'significant driver of violence' during Joe Biden's inauguration
A member of the Military Police stands besides equipment in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Thursday
The FBI is warning police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity because the deadly siege on the Capitol will be a 'significant driver of violence' during Joe Biden's inauguration. Members of the Military Police are pictured assembling in DC on Thursday morning
A total of 20,000 National Guardsman have now been authorized to descend on Washington to help safeguard the capital ahead of Biden's inauguration. There are already 6,200 troops on the ground in DC and at least 10,000 will be in place by Saturday.
The troops have now been cleared to carry handguns and rifles after previously only been authorized to carry protective equipment. National Guard members operate under strict rules of engagement on the use of force. It is not yet clear how many Guardsman will be armed.
The troops, thousands of other law enforcement officers and layers of eight-foot, anti-climb steel fencing are among the reinforcements being used to fortify DC a week out from the inauguration in a bid to protect the capital from any violence.
The Secret Service, the FBI and the National Guard are among 50 agencies and private companies that have formed a 'Multi-Agency Command Center' (MACC) to fortify Washington, D.C.
Workers move boxes onto a truck on West Executive Avenue between the West Wing of the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House on January 14, as President Trump prepares to move out
Jared and Ivanka Trump are moving out of their Washington, DC home. Pictured: Movers taking art and loading it into a truck in front of Jared and Ivanka's Washington, DC home
The task force met for the first time on Wednesday at the Secret Service's Washington field office where hundreds of people will work in 12-hour shifts to protect the city.
Private companies that have joined the task force include Amtrak, whose fleet of trains frequently travel through the nation's capitol.
'Everyone can just rest assured they are throwing the kitchen sink at this event,' one Secret Service official involved in the planning told The Washington Post.
Another former Secret Service agent told the publication that the establishment of the MACC ensures proactive security measures are being taken, and help will be on hand in the event a volatile situation erupts.
'Unlike January 6 [when the Capitol came under siege], nobody has to ask for the National Guard anymore,' they stated.
'Nobody has to send out an emergency call for the FBI SWAT team. They're all there, pre-positioned and ready. Radiation protection. Bomb detectors. Amtrak sweeps. All the security personnel - they're all now in place.'
The Secret Service, FBI and the National Guard are among 50 agencies and private companies that have formed a 'Multi-Agency Command Center (MACC)' to fortify Washington, D.C. ahead of next week's inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Thousands of National Guard troops have already arrived in the city
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