The citywide curfews in the District of Columbia and Virginia suburbs Alexandria and Arlington expired at 6 am on Thursday, Jan. 7, after multiple security breaches at the U.S. Capitol building by a pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6.
Following the violence in the nation’s capital, which led to four confirmed deaths, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has extended a state of emergency in the city until 3 pm on Jan. 21, the day after the Presidential Inauguration.
“Many persons came to the District armed and for the purpose of engaging in violence and destruction and have engaged in violence and destruction,” Bowser said in a release. “Their motivation is ongoing. … Persons are dissatisfied with judicial rulings and the findings of State Boards of Elections, and some persons can be expected to continue their violent protests through the inauguration.”
The state of emergency declaration gives Bowser the authority to declare further curfews and also gives Bowser access to funds and increased police help if she deems it necessary. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam had also declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, Jan. 6, to enable him to send help to the district, but has not indicated that he will extend the order.
The National Guard has also been called into Washington and will be mobilized for 30 days, totaling 6,200 guardsmen from six states and D.C., at the order of acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller.
In a separate statement, U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Chief Steven Sund said that more than 50 members of the Capitol and D.C. police forces were injured during the Capitol breach and several were hospitalized with “serious injuries.” Sund said USCP disabled two devices, believed to be pipe bombs, in locations close to the Capitol grounds.
He said that USCP is conducting a “thorough review of this incident, security planning and policies and procedures.”
Administration Resignations
In the aftermath of the events at the Capitol, at least two national security officials have tendered resignations.
The first is Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger, and the second is John Costello. Costello was the deputy assistant secretary of Commerce for intelligence and security and before that worked at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under CISA head Chris Krebs, who was fired by President Trump last November after endorsing the security of the November elections.
