D.C. officials shared new details Tuesday on security preparations related to the election and inauguration.
D.C. Assistant City Administrator Chris Rodriguez briefed the D.C. Council on security preparations for Election Day through Jan. 6 and Inauguration Day. He told lawmakers D.C. is bracing for the possibility of “large-scale riots and civil unrest.”
Security officials are preparing for historic crowds in D.C. on Inauguration Day, no matter which candidate wins, Rodriguez said.
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Metropolitan Police Department officers are ready for the coming months, Chief of Police Pamela Smith told reporters.
“I want to assure you that the Metropolitan Police Department and all of the D.C. government agencies continue to prepare for these events,” she said.
“The Metropolitan Police Department supports individuals peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights,” Smith continued. “But I want to be very clear: We will not tolerate any violence of any kind. We will not tolerate any riots. We will not tolerate the destruction of property. We will not tolerate any unlawful behavior. Offenders will be arrested and will be held accountable.”
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Neither Rodriguez nor Smith had previously described the possibility of riots.
