National Guard members seen sleeping on Capitol floor ahead of inauguration
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The night after a violent mob of Trump supporters hurled the U.S. Capitol into chaos, National Guard members poured into the District from Virginia and Maryland to help police restore order.
READ MORE: National Guard deploying at least 10K troops to DC
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: Members of the National Guard rest in the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. Security has been increased throughout Washington following the breach of the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday, and leading up to th
One week later, National Guard members could be seen resting or dining on the Capitol floor.
Last week, they helped erect a seven-foot non-scalable wall around the previously besieged Capitol building.
This week, they’ve continued the project of fortifying government buildings in the nation’s capital.
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At least 10,000 National Guard members are expected to be deployed in D.C., and Acting D.C. Police Chief said that number could ultimately swell to "upwards of 20,000."
Last week, the District received commitments from the Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York National Guards.
Other states have said they will send their own National Guards to the Capitol since then.
The military presence was prompted by an unprecedented attack on the U.S. Capitol following a rally featuring President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday night, the D.C. National Guard released a statement on the Guardsmen being armed and resting during their shifts. You can read it in full here.
The president – who lost the 2020 Election to former Vice President Joe Biden – has maintained that the results of the election were fraudulent.
At the close of the speech, Trump encouraged the protesters to march to Capitol, where Congress was convening to certify the Electoral College vote, and cement Biden’s 2020 victory.
Shortly thereafter, protesters stormed the Capitol steps, and overwhelmed law enforcement.
READ MORE: Non-scalable fence erected around Capitol as more National Guard members arrive in DC
The siege halted the Electoral College vote debate, and sent lawmakers and journalists scrambling for secure locations.
Five people – including a U.S. Capitol police officer – died during the incident.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: Members of the National Guard rest in the Visitor Center of the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. Security has been increased throughout Washington following the breach of the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday