WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2021) US authorities intend to deploy 6,200 National Guard servicemen in Washington, DC, and build a temporary fence around the Capitol compound after the site of the country's legislature was attacked by violent President Donald Trump's supporters, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy told reporters on Thursday.
They made it clear that heightened security measures will be in place for at least 30 days, including on January 20 for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
"The fencing that is going up around the Capitol, non-scalable fencing, will be in place through the inauguration... The guard's strength that will be coming on the ground by this weekend up to 6,200 will be available through the inauguration as well," Bowser said during a joint press briefing.
McCarthy described it as "a larger composition of personnel that you would have for the standard inauguration."
He said that the entire DC National Guard has been mobilized and is receiving reinforcements from states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York. "These personnel and security measures will be in place for no less than 30 days," McCarthy added.
According to McCarthy, 850 guardsmen were to be deployed on the Capitol grounds by Thursday noon, up from 150 sent there in the immediate aftermath of the breach by Trump loyalists who attempted to disrupt the Congressional certification of Biden's victory. He also said that works are already underway to encircle the domed compound, that will be a venue for the presidential inauguration, with a 7-foot non-scalable fence.
