National Mall Will Be Closed To Public On Inauguration Day

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 31, 2020 -- People ride bicycles on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, Aug. 30, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States reached 5,994,855 as of 9:28 p.m. EDT on Sunday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua via Getty)
WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 31, 2020 -- People ride bicycles on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, Aug. 30, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States reached 5,994,855 as of 9:28 p.m. ... WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 31, 2020 -- People ride bicycles on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, Aug. 30, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States reached 5,994,855 as of 9:28 p.m. EDT on Sunday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/Ting Shen via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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As law enforcement officials brace for potential violent unrest around the inauguration of Joe Biden, the National Mall will reportedly be closed off entirely on Jan. 20.

The National Mall will only be accessible to security officials and journalists covering the inauguration, the Washington Post reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the planning. NBC News confirmed the reporting.

The inauguration was already set to be a largely virtual affair amid the coronavirus pandemic that continues to rage across the country. But as the Post and other have pointed out, the National Mall is the main venue for the public to observe the inauguration. Now that option is off the table.

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