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Washington is preparing for a packed and politically charged inauguration weekend, with celebrations, protests, road closures and thousands of law enforcement officers expected ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Fairfax County officers will be among those helping monitor the events. The county overwhelmingly backed Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, with all but two precincts favoring her, even as Virginia shifted to the right and Trump won nationally.
Opponents of Trump and his policies plan to gather at the People’s March on Washington on Saturday, Jan. 18. At least two more demonstrations are scheduled in downtown Washington on Inauguration Day, Monday, Jan. 20.
Trump supporters can attend a victory rally at Capital One Arena on Sunday, Jan. 19. The inauguration will include performances by Carrie Underwood and the Village People, among others.
A permit application estimates that 500,000 people could gather on the National Mall for the ceremony. Attendance will offer a point of comparison with the notably thin crowds at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.
Security will be extensive throughout the event, with Washington roads closing and thousands of officers deployed across the city.