Photo Essay: The Silent Inauguration

The double-punch of a pandemic and a domestic terrorist attack has set the tone for an unusual inauguration in Washington DC. Areas where thousands of people would have gathered to cheer and party are now empty and wrapped in barbed wire fencing. Throughout the downtown area, scattered groups of people are seen, excited, and cautiously optimistic. Expressions are hidden under masks, yet you can feel the smiles underneath. Still, there are far more soldiers than civilians and a far more tense atmosphere than the few celebrations that are to be found. It’s quiet for a historical event that should not be quiet. But after four years of loud, hubris, turmoil, the silence is embraced.