The Canadian Press
Inauguration rehearsal evacuated after hearth in homeless camp
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Capitol complicated briefly locked down throughout a rehearsal for President-elect Joe Biden‘s inauguration after a fireplace in a homeless encampment roughly a mile away despatched a plume of smoke into the air and brought about safety issues in an already jittery metropolis. The false alarm briefly interrupted Monday’s rehearsal for Wednesday’s inauguration ceremony, a quadrennial train through which stand-ins take the roles of Biden and different VIPs and the U.S. Marine Band goes by way of its paces, together with training “The Star-Spangled Banner” for Wednesday’s efficiency by Girl Gaga. Rehearsal resumed not lengthy afterward, accompanied by frequent passes by a helicopter patrolling the skies over the Capitol. Regulation enforcement officers mentioned there was no menace to the general public and the fireplace was not believed to be a menace to the inauguration. Native firefighters put out the blaze shortly. The evacuation of some individuals and the lockdown have been ordered by the performing chief of Capitol Police in an abundance of warning, officers mentioned. However the quick choice to lock down underscores the concern that has gripped Washington because the lethal Jan. 6 rebel on the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters and prompted extraordinary measures forward of the inauguration. Armed protests deliberate for this previous weekend across the nation have been principally a bust, however nervousness remains to be skyrocketing. U.S. Secret Service tightened safety in and across the Capitol every week early in preparation, and town centre is basically on lockdown with streets blocked, excessive fencing put in and tens of 1000’s of Nationwide Guard and different legislation enforcement officers stationed across the space. However U.S. defence officers, apprehensive a few potential insider assault or different menace from service members concerned in securing the occasion, pushed the FBI to vet all the 25,000 Nationwide Guard troops coming into the world. Performing Defence Secretary Christopher Miller mentioned in a press release Monday that vetting of Nationwide Guard troops continues and that the Pentagon has discovered no intelligence to date that might point out an insider menace. Nonetheless, the Secret Service issued a bulletin over the weekend about what it sees as an “uptick” in Nationwide Guard troops posting footage and particulars of their operations on-line. The Related Press obtained the “all concerned” message despatched to all of the Nationwide Guard troops coming to Washington. With out stepping into particular postings, the bulletin mentioned, “No service members should be posting locations, pictures or descriptions online regarding current operations or the sensitive sites they are protecting” and urged them to cease instantly. Requested concerning the bulletin, a spokesperson for the Secret Service issued a press release saying it “does not comment on matters of protective intelligence.” President Donald Trump has refused to attend the inauguration, the primary time a sitting president has not attended since Andrew Johnson, although Vice-President Mike Pence shall be there in addition to different former presidents. Capitol police spokeswoman Eva Malecki mentioned there have been at the moment no fires on or inside the campus. “Members and staff were advised to shelter in place while the incident is being investigated,” she mentioned in a press release. Firefighters have been referred to as to the homeless encampment shortly earlier than 10:15 a.m., the place a lady who lived there had a transportable heater with a flammable fuel tank, hearth division spokesman Vito Maggiolo mentioned. The girl, who was injured however declined medical therapy, informed firefighters that the flames unfold shortly and her possessions have been burned. The fireplace was extinguished virtually instantly after firefighters arrived. Members have been ushered from the West Entrance of the Capitol. Those that had gathered for a walk-through, together with a navy band, have been directed to go indoors and moved within the route of a safe location contained in the Capitol complicated. Folks concerned within the rehearsal mentioned safety officers yelled “this is not a drill.” The lockdown was lifted about an hour later. 5 folks died within the Jan. 6 riot, together with a police officer. ___ Related Press writers Zeke Miller and Michael Balsamo in Washington and James LaPorta in Delray Seashore, Florida, contributed to this report. Andrew Taylor, Colleen Lengthy And Eric Tucker, The Related Press
