Washington, DC, is crawling with law enforcement ahead of Biden’s inauguration
A law enforcement officer carrying two shotguns was spotted casually walking through a swanky Washington, DC, hotel in street clothes as the nation’s capital prepares for unrest ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, photos show.
The man, who was wearing shorts and flip-flops along with a face covering, was seen walking through the lobby and into the valet area of the Grand Hyatt in the downtown section of the capital around 5 p.m. Thursday.
At no point did anyone stop the man, or appear to even notice the guns, as law enforcement officers from across the nation flock to DC to protect it from expected unrest related to Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration following the Jan. 6 storming of the US Capitol.
Washington has effectively become a fortress following the dramatic siege: Fences with razor wire have been erected in front of the Capitol, where thousands of National Guardsmen have been conducting around-the-clock surveillance.
The hotel released a statement confirming the man was a member of law enforcement.
“Like many other hotels in the Washington, D.C. area, Hyatt hotels in D.C. have guests who are working to keep the area safe ahead of next week’s inauguration events,” the statement said. “This includes hosting law enforcement, government agencies, officers and other essential workers. We can confirm the person depicted in the photo is a member of the law enforcement and security personnel staying at the hotel.”