D.C. Mayor Bowser seeks to cancel protest permits around inauguration

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked the Department of Homeland Security to revoke protest permits around the upcoming inauguration and to issue a "pre-disaster declaration" that would expedite federal emergency funding should a crisis occur.

On Sunday evening, Bowser, a Democrat, tweeted the letter she sent to acting DHS Security Chad Wolf that also requests increased Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance during Democrat Joe Biden's Jan. 20 presidential inauguration event. 

Several protest events, including a "Million Militia March" have been planned for the days surrounding Biden's inauguration. Some in the nation's capitol have begun urging their neighbors to cease offering short-term rental properties to individuals arriving over the next several days for the inauguration, to limit the influx of protesters into the region.

Bowser's letter follows the breach of the Capitol Building onWednesday during the joint session of Congress that was being held to certify Biden's electoral college win. Officials continue to seek answers as to how the protestors were so easily able to get inside the building.

The events at the Capitol last week led directly to the deaths of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died during a confrontation with the crowd, as well as Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a police officer while inside the building.

Several other members of the crowd died due to medical emergencies. U.S. Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood who was on duty Wednesday died this weekend, but the official cause of death has yet to be officially released.

A 7-foot-tall, non-scalable fence has now been erected around the Capitol grounds.