Soldiers Flow Into Capitol in Scene That Recalls Civil War
- Up to 20,000 troops expected in Washington as security surges
- Rifle-bearing troops at arm’s length surround building
Members of the National Guard walk outside of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Jan. 13, 2021.
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Soldiers took up positions in the U.S. Capitol in a scene reminiscent of Civil War deployments as Washington braced for the inauguration of a new president and a vote to impeach the current one.
With more than 20,000 National Guard units summoned, the Capitol and its park-like campus resembled an armed camp, with rifle-bearing soldiers standing at arm’s length from one another, and heavy military trucks blocking roads. The city itself contended with a wide perimeter of closed streets.