Posted on 01/16/2025 12:21:59 PM PST by lasereye
OK, so here’s the latest on the upcoming Inaugural weekend. It’s a lot. Either it could be a dark weekend, or a celebration.
Currently, national security officials appear anxious and have issued warnings of possible terrorist attacks and of potential anti-Trump violence during the Inaugural weekend leading up to the swearing in of Donald Trump as the 47th President on Monday, January 20.
Will we see ugly anti-Trump violence in DC or a New Orleans-style terrorist attack next Monday? Or will there simply be a merriment on the Washington Mall?
Here’s what you should know.
Facing the prospect of potential real violence, Secret Service official William McCool has told reporters, “We are in a higher threat environment.”
And, for the first time, national security surveillance drones will hover over the city. Drones normally are prohibited into the national capital airspace.
For the moment, national security officials seem to be taking no chances. The Inauguration will feature 30 miles of metal fencing around the Capitol Building area reinforced by the deployment of 7,800 DC National Guard troops and a total of 25,000 police.
Pamela Smith, DC’s Metropolitan Department’s Police Chief says that since January 5 her department has been ‘on full activation.”
So, this can be a very topsy-turvy Inauguration weekend. Violence or celebration? Terror or pure joy?
The National Park Service, which issues permits for demonstrations, are reporting that about 65,000 protesters will descend on Washington from January 18 to 20. The largest, the “People’s March,” an anti-Trump coalition, will start off the protests on January 18 at the Lincoln Memorial. Organizers claim up to 50,000 people may attend, according to their NPS permit.
The leaders of the “People’s March” are the same people who organized the 2017 “Women’s March” held the day after Trump’s first Inauguration. That rally attracted 470,000 people, so this rally appears to be a shadow of that rally.
There is some worry about the event. Organizers of the People’s March publicly say they hope that their event can become a “trigger event” that can lead to a great anti-Trump “escalation.”
Another anti-Trump and anti-Biden group is the pro-Palestinian ANSWER Coalition. It’s potentially a more unruly and unpredictable group and will demonstrate on Inaugural Day. ANSWER says it’s expected to draw about 15,000 people. They will either celebrate Hamas’ ceasefire with Israel or they potentially could riot if the fragile ceasefire agreement fails. As of this writing, last minute glitches seem to have stalled the agreement.
The last time ANSWER was in Washington, they were protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before a Joint Session of Congress. After the rally, some protesters rioted, police were assaulted, American flags burned and there was the desecration of monuments -- with one that was spray painted with a warning: “Hamas Is Coming.”
Ryan Mauro, who investigates extremist groups for the nonprofit Capital Research Center has exposed ANSWER as supporting Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen along with the mullahs of Iran.
Ryan reported in a January 8 column that “ANSWER signed a statement declaring its endorsement of the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” coalition of terrorist groups like Hamas and siding with Russia over Ukraine.
Expect unpredictability with the ANSWER Coalition.
Perennial black activist Rev. Al Sharpton also will hold a rally in D.C. with his National Action Network on January 20 which is the official observance for Martin Luther King Day. “We will rise up, honor and defend Dr. King’s dream by marching for justice, equality and change,” according to Sharpton’s web site.
Some anti-Trump rallies appear to have been cancelled. One, scheduled for January 16, by the Rev. Mark Thompson, claimed that 100,000 would attend. Thompson is an MSNBC commentator.
Another group called the “January 20 Coalition” canceled their plans to send 5,000 protesters to the Inaugural. Also cancelled was the “First Amendment Prayer Vigil.” They informed the National Park Service they had expected 2,500 people to attend.
On the other hand, there’s the Trump celebration, which starts on Saturday with a reception and fireworks at Trump’s Virginia golf club followed by a dinner for his cabinet and Vice President JD Vance.
On Sunday, Trump lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia just across from Washington. That night he’s expected to have a raucous celebration at the Capitol One Arena in downtown DC. About 20,000 delirious supporters are expected to attend.
The swearing in ceremony will be outside the Capitol Building on Monday, where the low temperature is forecast to be 9 degrees with a high of 23. It will be the coldest Inauguration since Ronald Reagan’s when the outside ceremony was cancelled because temperatures hovered around 20 below with the wind.
Despite the cold, about a quarter million people are expected to stand on the Capitol grounds and beyond to cheer on the new President. In attendance will be major CEOs ranging from Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, to META’s Mark Zuckerberg. Three former Presidents – Obama, Clinton and George W. Bush – will attend, with the latter with two of their wives.
But without explanation, Michelle Obama will not join her husband. Michelle also didn’t appear at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, saying she had a “scheduling conflict” while on vacation in Hawaii. What’s with Michelle?
The heads of state of Italy, Argentina and El Salvador along with Brazil’s former President will attend the Inauguration along with many European parliament members. China’s Xi Jinping is sending an official envoy.
No world leader has attended an inauguration since 1874, according to State Department records cited by CBS News.
On the morning of the Inauguration, Trump is expected to attend St. Johns Church and have tea with Biden at the White House.
Following his swearing-in, Biden and Harris depart Washington while Trump goes to the President’s Room in the Capitol Building to sign documents pertaining to his appointees. Then as is the custom, he attends a luncheon with Congressional leaders. There’s also a parade with the President reviewing troops.
All of this requires security around many parts of the capital. The overall responsibility rests with the Secret Service. The Service hasn’t had a very good year since there were two assassination attempts on Trump’s life. The extraordinary failure of the first assassination attempt forced the resignation of its embattled director due to bipartisan congressional outrage over the agency’s security failures.
And behind the scenes the situation doesn’t look good. According to investigative reporter Susan Crabtree, “deep concerns remain that the Secret Service is still facing some of the same institutional problems exposed last summer and fall in the wake of two assassination attempts on Trump’s life.”
The question dogging national security officials is the fear there are sleeper cells inside the city designed to assassinate Trump. As was reported by CNN in mid-November, “According to court documents, Iranian officials asked Farhad Shakeri, 51, in September to focus on surveilling and ultimately assassinating Trump. Shakeri is still at large in Iran, the Justice Department said.
Officials are concerned there could be a New Orleans copycat where a convert to Islam drove a car into revelers on New Year’s eve, killing 15 and wounding more than 30.
This could be a celebratory weekend or a dark one. Stay tuned.
Depends on which side you're on.
I predict a lot of the first, a little of the second. The rabble has to put on its show. The press won’t admit to any violence so only videos will be useful.
Soros and the Clintons and the Obamas and the Bidens are going to go scorched earth.
I don’t see “dark violence” occurring.
Throughout history most “dark violence” is organized the collectivist state itself, as pretext to grab power and attack political opponents.
Sadly, the USA is now no different.
All of these supposedly “spontaneous” street-actions, from Ferguson to Oakland to George Floyd to BLM riots to J6 happened under leftist-deep-state control and tacit approval of the DOJ/FBI, from Obama/Holder to William Barr and Rod Rosenstein.
These apparatchiks are if nothing cowards - they will certainly not plan a final “hurrah” when Trump will actually, finally have his people running the DOJ and FBI.
It really is going to be magnificent! But we could have done without the seating chart from her.
Angling to be the "odd woman out" if there is a devasting decimating attack?
Rain on Sat, snow on Sun, Frigid and windy on Mon
Was there a map of “sloping” roofs?
I can pretty much guarantee that the MSM will characterize Trump’s Inaugural Address as ‘dark’.
” What’s with Michelle? “
There’s a question absolutely no one is asking.
No maps. But she did end the segment telling the audience that the highest point is still the lady on the dome.
I got an invitation from the trump admin to sit/stand in the cold for two days for the party and the inauguration. Likely all republicans within metro distance of dc received the same invite . I was encouraged to take the metro. At age 71 I’m not so sure I want to take the metro and stand in record breaking January cold for hours
I am fasting and praying. Asking any schemes of the enemy would snare those who are attacking. That includes violence, lawfare, lies and slander.
Our daughter will be within the “media compound” on Monday due to her job. We’re trying not to worry overmuch , but as we get closer I will admit I’m concerned. Prayers please.
Note how many dems are “boycotting” the event. (Including Nanzy Pelosi.) Almost as if they had been warned, in advance, to stay away from a mass casualty event.
Who *else* besides the Vodka Crone?
They need to be "out of town" to claim to be an "emergency government."
At age 71 I’m not so sure I want to take the metro and stand in record breaking January cold for hours
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My advice? Stay where it’s warm and comfortable and watch it on TV. I’m 83, in good health, and would probably be there if it was late spring or summer. Besides all hell might break loose, you could find yourself in physical danger, and getting back home could be a nightmare!
Note how many dems are “boycotting” the event. (Including Nanzy Pelosi.) Almost as if they had been warned, in advance, to stay away from a mass casualty event.
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I’ve been thinking that very thing for a week. I hope President Trump, his family, his cabinet and other nominees have multiple escape routes mapped out if things get ugly.
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