Jan. 6 will be designated special security event four years after Capitol riot

The Department of Homeland Security will take extra precautions after the 2024 presidential election in hopes of preventing another Jan. 6 riot.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas deemed Jan. 6, 2025, the date in which the certification of the presidential vote will occur, as a “national special security event,” according to multiple reports. It will be the first time that such a designation occurs in this country. The efforts to increase security were granted in response to a special request from Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, Fox News reported.

“This marks the first time a National Special Security Event designation has been granted for a Certification of Electoral Votes and follows a request made by the DC Mayor to designate this event a National Special Security Event,” the Secret Service announced in a release . “Various reports, including from the House Select January 6 Committee and the Government Accountability Office, also called for the DHS Secretary to consider a National Special Security Event designation for future Certification of Electoral Votes.”

“This designation allows for significant resources from the federal government, as well as from state and local partners, to be utilized in a comprehensive security plan,” it added. “When an event is designated a National Special Security Event, the U.S. Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.”

Bowser's request for increased security and special designation was widely viewed as a direct response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot from 2021. On that day, chaos ensued as people stormed the Capitol to protest the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

It has been one of the most popular topics in politics over the last three years and was part of the discussion in Tuesday night’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump left us the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” Harris said during the debate.

The riot has been cited by many as an attack on the country’s democracy. It has repeatedly been used as an example of the dangers of political violence and extremism.

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In 2025, multiple government agencies, including the Secret Service and DHS, will synergize their efforts to take every precaution possible to prevent another such riot. The additional security measures implemented will operate with the intention of increasing situational awareness to eliminate any risks or security breaches.

“National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance,” said Eric Ranaghan of the Secret Service. “The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners, are committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated security plan to ensure the safety and security of this event and its participants.”