New safety measures are being put in place in Washington,
D.C. after Wednesday’s deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol.
The grounds of the Capitol are usually open to the public
but now a seven-foot high non-scalable fencing has been installed around the
building. It has also been put up around the Supreme Court and the National
Mall.
Hundreds of members of the National Guard and thousands more
are set to be deployed amid rumors of a potential second riot in the nation’s
capital and with President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration coming up.
Around two dozen people who were part of the riot have
already been hit with federal charges.
First Lady Melania
Trump released a statement Monday condemning the violence, calling for peace
and offering condolences for those who died during the siege.
She posted a link to
the statement on Twitter, saying in part: “I am disappointed and disheartened
with what happened last week. I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic
events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks and
misleading accusations on me from people who are looking to be relevant have an
agenda. The time is solely about healing our country and its citizens.”
Some legislators are considering invoking the 14th Amendment
that allows for representatives to remove other members of Congress if they violated
their oath by taking part in the insurrection or helping those who have.
A larger number of legislators are hoping for President
Donald Trump to be removed from office either through the 25th Amendment or
impeachment.