WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C. generally comes along with its share of protests and demonstrations, but that is not expected to be the case on Jan. 20, 2021.
That was the case in 2017 when President Trump took office and in 2009 when President Barack Obama was sworn in.
But for Joe Biden’s inauguration, Washington, D.C. is on lockdown. Bridges are closed, National Guard troops stand guard, and protesters and Biden supporters alike have been told to stay away.
“Whether your side is there to celebrate and come in you should have the right to gather. Or, if you are one who wants to show opposition. That is the way it has been at every inauguration we have ever had,” James Epley said.
Epley is a President Trump supporter and started “The Silent Majority.” He says he was organizing a peaceful protest in D.C., but the lockdown made it virtually impossible.
“Not to say what happened at the Capitol wasn’t very bad. We never condone violence or in any way say that was appropriate. But what has happened in reaction to it does seem to be an overreach,” Epley said.
Tara Perry, with the Black Pact organization, was planning a “March for Reparations” rally on Inauguration Day.
“This past election, Black people really delivered to the Biden administration. And we wanted to put them on notice that we will not allow this election to just be a symbol of racial progress in this country without any meaningful gains,” Perry said.
Thousands were expected to attend the rally but Perry had to cancel it last minute because the city is on lockdown.
“It was this Saturday when we had yet to hear back from permits… it is extremely difficult. They completely locked everything down. You can’t get into D.C. That is the epicenter of free speech so we have to allow that some kind of way,” Perry said.
John Aughenbaugh is a political science and Constitutional law professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who specializes in free speech and the First Amendment.
He believes the lockdown and effort to keep protestors out is a likely overreach.
“Until we see where the flaws were in regards to the law enforcement plans and enforcement on January 6th, there is the likelihood this is an overreaction,” Aughenbaugh said.
Dr. Aughenbaugh says the Supreme Court has ruled the First Amendment can be restricted based on what they call time, place, and manner restrictions.
He says similar restrictions happened after 9/11.
“I believe this is a situation where groups on both sides of the ideological spectrum are going to think long and hard. How do we move forward with this? At what point are we allowed to protest, rally, engage in peaceful assembly,” Aughenbaugh said.
There will be several “free speech zones” set up in Washington, D.C. during the inauguration. But it’s unclear whether protestors will utilize them.
