Washington:
After taking the oath of workplace and a short dash to shake some hands, Joe Biden produced it safely to the White House in a barricaded city guarded by more than 25,000 troops and devoid of the hundreds of thousands of spectators who commonly throng to the quadrennial ritual.
The unprecedented precautions ensured the new U.S. president and Vice President Kamala Harris took workplace free of charge of incident in a ceremony outdoors the U.S. Capitol, two weeks to the day just after a mob attacked the creating in a failed try to retain Congress from certifying their victory.
After getting driven from the Capitol in a slow motorcade, Biden briskly walked the final block from the Treasury to the White House, unexpectedly greeting some invited and screened guests and members of the news media along the way in a hugely secured region.
Ms Harris walked element of the way to her workplace in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House.
“Just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground, it did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever,” Biden mentioned in his inaugural speech at the Capitol.
Some correct-wing extremist groups had vowed to disrupt Biden’s inauguration following the Jan. 6 attack, but only scattered protests emerged on Wednesday.
Outside Union Station, the city’s train terminal, National Guard troops carrying rifles stood behind razor wire-topped fencing that sealed off Capitol Hill.
A little group of protesters stood outdoors the safety perimeter. “If Joe Biden wants to take America to hell, go right ahead!” 1 shouted by means of a bullhorn.
Elsewhere downtown, protester Gordon Diehl mentioned he was disappointed that more who shared his views had not come out. “Hoping to see more Trump supporters at least, keep on fighting or something,” the Michigan resident mentioned.
At Black Lives Matter Plaza close to the White House, a center of racial-justice protests in the summer time, a sparse crowd cheered when Biden pointed out in his speech that Harris would be the 1st Black vice president.
“I felt like a ton of weight was lifted from my shoulders,” mentioned Tiffany Wade, who traveled with her daughter and mother from Alabama to witness the inauguration.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, outgoing President Donald Trump left the White House for the final time, his helicopter flying more than thousands of American and state flags planted in the National Mall. The banners stood in for the hundreds of thousands of people today who gathered for previous inaugurations to watch the proceedings on massive-screen televisions.
Two demonstrations that had been planned along the parade route to the White House had been canceled, according to the National Park Service.
The safety precautions, along with a coronavirus pandemic that has prompted numerous to stay clear of public gatherings, left city streets largely empty.
“It’s, frankly, painful to see this, the whole city shut down,” former Republican Senator Jeff Flake told reporters as he arrived at the Capitol.
On Tuesday, Pentagon officials mentioned a dozen National Guard members had been removed from inauguration duty just after troops have been screened for possible ties to correct-wing extremism and troubling text messages.
BRIDGES, SUBWAY STATIONS CLOSED
Bridges in between Virginia and downtown Washington have been closed, as have been downtown Metro stations.
Some intercity bus services and passenger trains have been been suspended.
With inaugural balls and other parties previously canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the occasion has taken on a somber tone in Washington.
After Twitter and Facebook suspended accounts calling for violence, organizing activity has been pushed onto unmoderated channels such as 8kun.
“The FBI appears to be taking these threats seriously, but disciplined lone wolf actors, regardless of ideology, are extremely difficult to track,” mentioned Daniel Jones, president of Advance Democracy, a nonprofit investigation group.
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