Washington Locks Down July 4 Mall Event for 150,000 as Secret Service Threat Cases Jump 40%
Updated
Updated · The Atlantic · Jul 3
Washington Locks Down July 4 Mall Event for 150,000 as Secret Service Threat Cases Jump 40%
3 articles · Updated · The Atlantic · Jul 3
Summary
The National Mall fireworks became a National Special Security Event for the first time, putting the Secret Service in charge of screening, road closures and a lockdown around a crowd expected to reach 150,000.
Threat monitoring has intensified even without a specific credible plot against the event: Secret Service investigations are up 40% this year, with officials citing lone actors, drones, cyber risks and possible Iran-inspired violence.
Nearly 5,000 National Guard troops have already been mobilized in Washington, alongside hundreds of visible federal officers, counter-drone teams and a strict no-fly zone.
An alleged domestic-terror plot disrupted weeks ago in Washington sharpened concern after suspects were accused of planning guns-and-explosives drone attacks on a White House UFC event and discussing World Cup-related targets.
Trump's central role adds complexity: he plans a long speech and a Qatar-gifted Air Force One flyover before an 850,000-shell, 40-minute fireworks show that will run later into a hot, storm-threatening night.