Airbnb said it will cancel and block all reservations in the Washington metro area in the coming days as efforts to secure the capital were ratcheted higher ahead of right-wing protests this weekend and the presidential swearing-in on Jan. 20.
The mass cancellation came as regional leaders announced that a number of Metro stations would be closed for a week to discourage visitors from going into downtown Washington. Airbnb also discovered and banned accounts for many people involved in hate groups and last week’s Capitol siege, the company said in its announcement Wednesday.
D.C. officials announced that the number of National Guard troops flooding the capital would be increased from as many as 15,000 to more than 20,000 as a special security zone went into effect around the White House, the Mall, the Capitol and other key parts of downtown. The security zone will be maintained through Inauguration Day. People entering the perimeter may be subject to security screening and may have to provide proof of their reason for visiting. Continue reading.