Washington mayor asks for increased security around Biden's inauguration

[January 11, 2021]  (Reuters) - Washington's mayor has asked for increased security around the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after last week's storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.

Describing last week's assault as an "unprecedented terrorist attack", Mayor Muriel Bowser said that Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20 will require a "different approach" compared to past inaugurations.

"While I will be reaching out to a broad range of local, regional and federal partners to enhance cooperation among our bodies, I strongly urge the United States Department of Homeland Security to adjust its approach to the Inauguration in several specific ways", Bowser wrote in a letter to Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the department.

The letter was dated Saturday and made available on Sunday.

The storming of the Capitol building last week by Trump supporters delayed the certification of Biden's election victory.

Trump, who has without evidence challenged the validity of Biden's election win, initially praised his supporters but later condemned the violence.

Lawmakers were forced to flee, as the building was mobbed by the president's supporters who overwhelmed security forces. Five people died in the violence including one Capitol Police officer who was beaten as he tried to ward off the crowds.

President-elect Joe Biden walks into the Queen Theatre in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., January 10, 2021. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

In her letter, Bowser said the District of Columbia was submitting a request for a "pre-disaster declaration" to allow for federal assistance.

She also urged the Homeland Security Department to coordinate with the Justice Department, the Department of Defense, the Supreme Court and the Congress to establish a federal force deployment plan for all federal property.

Washington remains on high alert ahead of Biden's inauguration. The event traditionally draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city, but has been scaled back dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump said last week he would not attend Biden's inauguration.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.