Update: Marc Lynch, one of the country’s top experts on Arab politics, and who blogs for Foreign Policy, was one of those screwed over by the Capitol Police. Here is his account.
NPR is reporting that the crowds along the parade route in DC look relatively sparse compared other parades. In part, NPR reports that this is because the access-points to the parade route is hard to get to.
Meanwhile, thousands of ticket-holders were denied access to the Mall for the inauguration, as NPR and the Washington Post report. Based on comments posted to the WP blog, no one announced to the waiting ticket-holders why they were being held up or what was happening. Many waited for hours, without bathrooms, water or heat. Apparently, the Capitol Police or the contractors hired in their stead don’t really know what they’re doing.
I’ve been to too many public events where security concerns and poor planning have trumped common decency that I simply do not attend them anymore.
