The inauguration of a president is usually marked by lavish balls, colorful parades and hundreds of thousands of spectators. But well before the January 20, 2021 swearing-in of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, it was apparent that this year’s event would look quite different. The January 6 assault on the Capitol and a raging coronavirus pandemic meant changes that were hard to miss, everything from masked inspectors to law enforcement in full tactical gear.
Here is a look at the scene in Washington D.C. and environs for the inauguration of the 46th president of the United States.
In this photo, a “Field of Flags” covers the National Mall as the U.S Capitol Building is prepared for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Roughly 191,500 U.S. flags were expected to cover a section of the National Mall to represent Americans unable to travel to Washington, D.C. for the ceremony this year.
