The US authorities introduced increased patrolling of streets in Washington on the eve of the inauguration of the new president of the country. According to TASS, the Atlantic strike group arrived in the American capital, whose tasks include responding to incidents with weapons of mass destruction. In addition, in the event of a chemical, biological or radioactive attack, other special forces and departments for combating terrorism are put on high alert.
“Dozens of Coast Guard boats patrol the Potomac and Anacostia rivers using remote-controlled robots equipped with cameras. On duty are detachments with service dogs trained to find explosives”, - the message says.
The authorities were forced to take unprecedented security measures on the day of the inauguration of Democrat Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris amid a serious aggravation of the internal political situation in the United States. Earlier it was reported that supporters of Republican Donald Trump, who for a long time did not want to admit loss in the presidential election, attempted to storm the Capitol on January 6, five people, including one policeman, were killed during the riots.
Expecting new provocations on the day of the inauguration, the security forces closed a significant part of the city center adjacent to the White House and Congress to traffic. Access to Capitol Hill is restricted, with cordon squads posted around.
Biden and Harris are expected to inaugurate at noon on January 20 on the steps of the Capitol. Representatives of the country's leadership, diplomats, heads of foreign states and governments, and opposition leaders are invited to the ceremony. Among others, the invitation to the ceremony was received by the ex-candidate for the presidency of Belarus Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.