Oregon’s Capitol was quiet the morning of Inauguration Day. (Jake Thomas/Salem Reporter)
Salem was quiet Wednesday morning as Joe Biden was sworn in as the nation’s 46th president in Washington D.C.
Following recent violence at Oregon and the nation’s capital, Salem law enforcement agencies had prepared for possible unrest as Inauguration Day approached and the National Guard had been activated. But as of 9 a.m., there was no large gathering outside Oregon’s Capitol.
There was no crowd waving flags and signs. There was no one on a megaphone. There were no brawls. Police vehicles circled the building. A television crew stood waiting. In front of the Capitol steps, someone with their jacket’s hood pulled over their head knelt before a lit candle as if in prayer. – Jake Thomas
