Law enforcement in several U.S. cities beefed up security Thursday after an attack in New Orleans and an explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas raised fears of more threats in a month packed with large-scale public events.
Police in Washington, which will host the state funeral next week for former President Jimmy Carter and the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, said in a statement that they have increased security throughout the city “to the light of recent events,” and that the community will notice a greater police presence.
Republican Trump is also scheduled to hold a “victory rally” at the Capital One Arena in Washington on January 19.
On Wednesday night, as fans arrived for a Washington Wizards basketball game at the stadium, vehicle barriers closed an adjacent street, a security measure not often seen before the NBA team’s home games. .
Trump’s victory in the Nov. 5 presidential election must be certified by Congress on Jan. 6, the fourth anniversary of an attack on the Capitol building by Trump supporters at the same ceremony in 2021.
For the first time, the ceremony has been classified as a National Special Security Event, a decision made before the New Orleans attack. That designation means the US Secret Service will take on the lead security role, the agency told Reuters in a statement.
“We will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to assess the ever-changing threat landscape and adjust our security plans as necessary,” said Secret Service spokesman Matthew Young.
In New York, there were more police than usual around Pennsylvania Station, one of the main train stations, and nearby tracks were closed.
The city’s mayor, Eric Adams, said on social media that, after the New Orleans attack, the New York Police Department (NYPD) reinforced security at several locations, including the Tower Trump and Times Square.
Despite the lack of credible threats, “we are on alert,” Adams wrote.
The NYPD said in a statement: “The NYPD has closely monitored recent developments in New Orleans and has coordinated with its federal and regional counterparts. We have not identified any specific/credible threats or any links to the city of New Orleans. York right now.”
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