Just heard on BBC news on PBS that there are more troops in the capitol right now than in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined.
Wow.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

they are apparently taking ALL of the free space in the capital...

Butts on the ground?

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Igor Bobic a Huffpost reporter tweeted a number of images and touching quotes this morning. A sample:

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There are at least a thousand, probably more, National Guard troops all over the Capitol Visitor Center, Emancipation Hall, and surrounding hallways. They’re sleeping in reception areas, the cafeteria, the entrance to the building. Everywhere.

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One National Guard soldier, who is from Virginia, said he’s never been to the Capitol before. He asked me if the gift shop will open.

“We’re tourists too. This is kind of cool,” he said after I explained that tourists normally enter the building here

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After I commented on the fact they’re sleeping on cold marble floors, and that they could some cots, one National Guard soldier politely declined.

He was afraid they would “destroy the floors of one of the coolest buildings in the world.”

Here are some guys getting a picture with Rosa Parks

They've closed every second road in downtown DC and sections of others. Blocked many with garbage trucks and firetrucks and some with a mix of cop-cars and black SUVs.

Cops with flashers at almost every intersection downtown. Two Guards and a cop at every road block I saw. There must be over a thousand Guards just for traffic duty.

Extra cops stationed in alleys throughout the city, too. Can see the noses of the cars as you pass. And cops parked at each end of all of the bridges into Virginia.

Waze is of minimal help navigating. Not only are they blocking some intersections seemingly at random throughout the day, but there are a lot of places where GPS appears to be jammed. Best shot at crossing the city is to head north and try to use Mass Ave if you're heading east or west, even if it adds a few miles to the trip.

This is not like Jan 6th. Downtown DC was mostly open back then.

For the last couple of inaugurations, they didn't make such a large perimeter and they didn't block traffic this far in advance. They are really taking the threat of violence seriously now.

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It is about time.
I hope the nut cases get the idea and stay away.
I hope state houses take it as seriously, as they may shift their attention there.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

That picture is only kinda the Capitol. It's the Visitor Center - so it's attached to the Capitol. But it's not really the Capitol. Seems like a good place to muster given its proximity to the entrance to the Capitol - and it's a large empty space right now.

More in this thread:

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I hope all/most of them are on 'our' side.

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p8712
I hope all/most of them are on 'our' side.

My thoughts, too.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

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p8712
I hope all/most of them are on 'our' side.

I just want them to support the Constitution.

Should not be any ‘sides’.