US President Biden inauguration, Weds 20th Jan 2021 - news, build-up and protests

[editor]

Given the craziness surrounding the build up to the inauguration next Weds, I thought it was an event worthy of a dedicated thread...

The FBI has warned of possible armed protests across the US as Trump supporters and far-right groups call for demonstrations before Joe Biden is sworn in as president.

There are reports of armed groups planning to gather at all 50 state capitols and in Washington DC in the run-up to his 20 January inauguration.
Security will be tight for the event after a pro-Trump mob stormed Congress.

Trump supporters planning armed protests ahead of Biden inauguration, FBI warns

Law enforcement officials warn of plans to hold armed protests before Joe Biden's inauguration.

www.bbc.co.uk

He's coming in by train....

What will the day look like?
CNN reported that Biden will arrive at the nation's capital the same way he did for decades as a senator: The Amtrak train.

Biden’s affinity for Amtrak is well-known because of his daily commute for 36 years between Wilmington and Washington, D.C., while serving as a senator from Delaware. The railroad estimated he had traveled 2.1 million miles on its rails.

He will still be sworn in on the steps of the Capitol Building. Despite fears that pro-Trump rioters would return to Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day, Biden insisted he would proceed with his swearing-in ceremony as planned.

“I am not afraid to take the oath outside," he said Monday.

Biden's Inauguration Day: What will look different, who will attend and what will go virtual

Due to COVID-19 and security concerns following a pro-Trump mob breaching the Capitol, this year's inauguration will look different than years past.

eu.usatoday.com

Washington Monument Closed Through Inauguration Over Threats Of Violence

The National Park Service cited “credible threats” during President-elect Biden’s inauguration next week.

www.forbes.com

 

[Pickman's model]

it'll be a riot

 

[spitfire]

Given the craziness surrounding the build up to the inauguration next Weds, I thought it was an event worthy of a dedicated thread...

He's coming in by train....

Washington Monument Closed Through Inauguration Over Threats Of Violence

The National Park Service cited “credible threats” during President-elect Biden’s inauguration next week.

www.forbes.com

Arriving by train could be a tactical error. I'm sure it won't take a massive leap of imagination for some MAGAT's to block the tracks, certainly took me all of 1.5 seconds to think of it.

 

[Pickman's model]

Arriving by train could be a tactical error. I'm sure it won't take a massive leap of imagination for some MAGAT's to block the tracks, certainly took me all of 1.5 seconds to think of it.

magat? make america great again twats?

 

[hitmouse]

In terms of responses from the left, there's a call for nationwide demonstrations against ICE on the day:

We have received the following call to action from a network of anti-border activists. In the wake of Trump supporters’ invasion of the Capitol building, opponents of authoritarianism must maintain momentum against all the oppressive policies that the Biden administration aims to preserve—keeping the focus on social change, rather than simply shoring up the status quo against fascists. January 20 has a long history as a day of resistance to tyranny; this year, it makes sense to focus on the institutions of oppression that are spread around the country, rather than the ones concentrated in the nation’s capital...

From “Build the Wall” to the Muslim Ban, Donald Trump’s administration made history as the most anti-immigrant presidency in living memory. Though incoming President Joe Biden promised throughout his election campaign that he will roll back Trump’s immigration policies, it is unlikely that he will fulfill that promise unless we compel him to.

The Biden administration intends to continue running Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers, which are essentially concentration camps for the undocumented. On January 20, we call on everyone to gather outside these places—either to welcome children and families back into freedom or else to take steps to ensure that their detention concludes with the end of the Trump presidency.

Biden was a key member of the Obama administration’s deportation machinery, which deported more than 2.6 million people. Those numbers do not include all the migrants who died in the increasingly hostile desert terrain of the US-Mexico border, nor does it account for those affected by US investment in Mexico’s immigration program and attempts to strengthen Mexico’s southern border. For every migrant detained or deported, there is a story of the violence they experienced at the hands of ICE. This government agency is notorious for separating immigrant families, caging children, letting adults and children die from treatable medical conditions, and inflicting needless hysterectomies on detainees. Regardless of which administration oversees these detention centers, the elderly will continue to die of COVID-19 in cramped conditions, families will be torn apart, and those who stand up for themselves will face cruel repression until the centers are abolished.

The far right has made dramatic moves this month. Biden is already working to accommodate these racists and xenophobes, signaling that he will not interrupt ICE deportations and the family separation policy for fear of right-wing backlash if he honors his campaign promises.

The new presidential administration wants to play both sides. They are hoping that Inauguration Day passes without any further acknowledgement of the suffering inside ICE detention centers. It is instructive that Biden shouted down a Cosecha organizer who demanded that he answer for the Obama administration’s high deportation rate. Biden told the organizer to “Go vote for Trump!”—an indication of how meager the differences will be between Trump’s policies and those of the new administration.

Unless we act, the detainment, deportation, and dehumanization of immigrants will not end with the Trump administration. We must compel the Biden administration to free our immigrant neighbors back into our communities.

I can see how it makes solid tactical sense to focus on starting the Biden era with an independent agenda rather than just acting as a reluctant Biden defence squad and/or getting caught up in setpiece confrontations with DC police. Or maybe it'll be a disaster and we'll remember this as being a terrible idea, idk.

 

[spitfire]

magat? make america great again twats?

Maggot or Make America Great Again Twats both sound fine to me.

 

[Pickman's model]

In terms of responses from the left, there's a call for nationwide demonstrations against ICE on the day:


I can see how it makes solid tactical sense to focus on starting the Biden era with an independent agenda rather than just acting as a reluctant Biden defence squad and/or getting caught up in setpiece confrontations with DC police. Or maybe it'll be a disaster and we'll remember this as being a terrible idea, idk.

from 3000 miles away getting prepared to defend yourself against magat assaults seems a good plan rather than having a pop at the feds on the day. i suppose things look different from closer at hand: but when the magats are going to be having a great go at the feds maybe any other day would be a better day.

 

[JimW]

Things are looking bad for the Dems.

 

[spitfire]

Things are looking bad for the Dems.

Will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Things are looking bad for the Dems.

Has Marty1 hacked your account?

 

[hitmouse]

from 3000 miles away getting prepared to defend yourself against magat assaults seems a good plan rather than having a pop at the feds on the day. i suppose things look different from closer at hand: but when the magats are going to be having a great go at the feds maybe any other day would be a better day.

Yeah, when the maga lot are focused on having a go at the feds it's tricky to know how exactly to respond - get too caught up in fighting with them and not enough on asserting your own independent agenda and you risk ending up like an unpaid and underequipped auxiliary to the DC police, get too caught up in doing your own thing and and not just responding to them and you risk ending up like the CP telling people to go to Tralfalgar Square instead of Cable Street/SWP telling people to go to carnival instead of Brick Lane.

 

[BigMoaner]

Has Marty1 hacked your account?

I keep seeing Marty1? Serious question, who is it? previous poster?

 

[spring-peeper]

I keep seeing Marty1? Serious question, who is it? previous poster?

Check the banned poster list.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I keep seeing Marty1? Serious question, who is it? previous poster?

He was a Trump fan, totally barking fucking mad, got banned on 19th Dec.

If you have time to waste, his posts are HERE.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

In terms of responses from the left, there's a call for nationwide demonstrations against ICE on the day:


I can see how it makes solid tactical sense to focus on starting the Biden era with an independent agenda rather than just acting as a reluctant Biden defence squad and/or getting caught up in setpiece confrontations with DC police. Or maybe it'll be a disaster and we'll remember this as being a terrible idea, idk.

tbh my boring answer to that is that nobody should be travelling around the country at the moment if they can at all avoid it, cos pandemic. I think a focused set of demos outside detention centres is a good idea, but those need to be by people who have not travelled long distances to be there, cos that is just spreading the virus.

Does Biden have to be held to account on the inauguration day itself, or is it just as effective, or even more effective, to do so in a month or two, once the pandemic has died down and once his failures have begun to become apparent?

 

[spring-peeper]

 

[moochedit]

I keep seeing Marty1? Serious question, who is it? previous poster?

You've been here since 2013? How did you miss him?

 

[rubbershoes]

It's time to focus on the deficit

 

[Flavour]

There will be some protests at State Capitol buildings but DC itself will be swarming with cops.

I predict the crowd will be very small and that trump will say something about how his own crowd had been way bigger. Well, he would, if he had a public platform. But he doesn't.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Will be interesting to see if any true believer Trump supporters do cause mayhem. I suspect they might, although many seem to have been pissed off that Trump threw them under the bus after the Capitol invasion - firstly (I paraphrase) inciting insurrections, then calling them special people while calling for peace during the riot/invasion... then fast forward and he's disowning them and saying they ought to be punished to the full extent of the law.

Anyone taking any action should surely be aware that he's going to wash his little hands of them as soon as they've done his dirty work?

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Will also be interesting to see if Ivanka attends the inauguration. Some people are saying if Donald Trump doesn't attend, then no one from the Trump family should. But then there was mention that Ivanka might attend.

Tbh my first thought was that if Donald Trump is going to snub Biden's inauguration, then none of the Trumps should attend. But on reflection, maybe having Ivanka there might help in terms of a human shield and mitigate the extent of risk of an attack on the inauguration event.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

P.S. there's a five hour time difference between London's and Washington DC - we're five hours ahead, and the inauguration is supposed to be noon their time, so 5pm our time.

Although I don't know whether that's when the inauguration itself is going to be, or whether that will be the start of a longer event - does anyone know?

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Will also be interesting to see if Ivanka attends the inauguration. Some people are saying if Donald Trump doesn't attend, then no one from the Trump family should. But then there was mention that Ivanka might attend.

Tbh my first thought was that if Donald Trump is going to snub Biden's inauguration, then none of the Trumps should attend. But on reflection, maybe having Ivanka there might help in terms of a human shield and mitigate the extent of risk of an attack on the inauguration event.

She’s working out how to save her own political ambitions. Will be interesting to see which way she jumps, personal ambition or family loyalty.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

She’s working out how to save her own political ambitions. Will be interesting to see which way she jumps, personal ambition or family loyalty.

I think she'd be able to persuade Trump it was reasonable for her to attend, having been part of his administration and also possibly harbouring political ambitions herself.

Even if he can't bring himself to concede graciously, he's still got that white supremacist obsession with genes and bloodlines, so I reckon he would be fairly easily persuaded by arguments that she needed to attend the inauguration and continue playing the political game to her advantage, to benefit a future run for herself. He's gagging to create a political dynasty.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

She’s working out how to save her own political ambitions. Will be interesting to see which way she jumps, personal ambition or family loyalty.

If she's got her own political ambitions she needs to keep all the Trump (senior) supporters on her side. She's got no other angle, she has nothing to offer anyone else and the name is off-putting to most people. So the personal ambition approach would be to stay away IMO.

If she attended it would be more about her getting back to something more normal (to her) and getting her New York society friends back on side.

 

[editor]

And so it starts:

Officers in Washington DC arrested a Virginia man who tried to pass through a Capitol police checkpoint carrying fake inaugural credentials, a loaded handgun and more than 500 rounds of ammunition.

He wasn't the brightest spark though:

The man, identified in court papers as Wesley Allen Beeler, was driving a pickup truck with several firearm-related bumper stickers, including one that read: “If they come for your guns Give ‘Em your bullets first,” the papers said.

Washington: man arrested with fake inaugural ID and loaded gun

Wesley Allen Beeler arrested ahead of Biden inauguration as security stepped up nationwide in wake of Capitol attack

www.theguardian.com

 

[extra dry]

they look ready for anything.

 

[campanula]

I think a focused set of demos outside detention centres is a good idea, but those need to be by people who have not travelled long distances to be there, cos that is just spreading the virus.

Daughter has jumped on her bike to go and stir up shit at Coltishall - some little Norfolk detention centre in the middle of nowhere (although she claims it as being part of her job. Not sure what to think.

 

[ska invita]

You've been here since 2013? How did you miss him?

Moaner has been on a break for a while now

Welcome back btw

 

[Lurdan]

Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal (paywalled so archived)
Solo Extremists Might Pose Higher Risk Than Organized Groups

Far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and The Oathkeepers whose members were involved in the riot of the U.S. Capitol last week are advising followers to stay away from major cities where there will be a large law-enforcement presence next week, either by lying low entirely or gathering away from state capitols.

It quotes the leaders of those groups, and also message board debates over whether to demonstrate or not. I've seen similar myself. Nick Fuentes of the more political America First has issued a video saying there won't be large scale events and urging people not to attend. Of course many of these organised groups are dealing with the consequences of the social media and internet service provider bannings, as well as facing federal investigations.

No idea what will happen Wednesday except it will be nothing like the 6th at the Capitol. There you had the full range of Trumpists, populists and Republicans, the far right (both political and militias) and Qanon, plus people for whom it was just Glasto for cunts. In the fall out from what was, by any measure, a pretty disastrously unsuccessful event, many of these factions are pointing the finger at one another as much as at the 'enemy'. Some are going to be wary of who they demonstrate with in future. And many, whether out of prudence, tactics or reevaluation, will be wary of demonstrating at all.