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All 50 US states on high alert in runup to Biden inauguration

DW, 17 Jan 2021
All 50 US states are on high alert this weekend for fear of armed protests against the election of Joe Biden as president. In the capital, Washington DC, around 25,000 National Guard troops from around the country are being sent in to help secure the city. Federal states have been responding to urgent requests for more manpower before Wednesday's inauguration ceremony - to be held on the steps of the Capitol building. It's feared violent extremist groups are targeting Washington. The FBI has also warned of possible protests in every state capital.
They're heading to Washington DC from all over the country: National Guard troops, in this case from Washington state in the far Northwest of the US. They'll join thousands of other 'Weekend Warriors' to secure the Inauguration: All of them military- trained men and women given time away from their regular jobs to serve where needed.
Their presence is requested in the capital city, and much appreciated by Capitol police, who were overrun on January 6th in a siege of the Capitol building. They're also appreciated by residents here.
The stage is set for Wednesday's inauguration ceremony on the steps of the Capitol building . An event that normally draws hundreds of thousands. This time, the numbers will be sharply reduced.
Indeed, most streets, including Pennsylvania Avenue connecting the White House to the Capitol, are already shut to regular vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
It's not only Washington DC concerned about violent attack. Minnesota's snowy Capitol in St. Paul, indeed the Capitols of all 50 states, are beefing up security for protests that go well beyond the ordinary. Remaining National Guard are on standby should the run-up to the presidential inauguration, or the day itself, turn ugly.


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