Banned from inauguration: strollers, umbrellas

The Associated Press
Published: December 2, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Camera and cell phone, yes. Backpack, no.

If you’re planning a trip to the Jan. 20 inaugural ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama, be warned: Backpacks, signs, umbrellas and thermoses are forbidden.

The list of prohibited items on the Capitol grounds includes the obvious — firearms, explosives and knives — along with some head-scratchers, like coolers, strollers and laser pointers.

Strollers take up a lot of space, and “they’re made up of hard metal or plastic, just like umbrellas. Anything like that is not permitted,“ said Carole Florman, communications director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. That includes chairs.

“Unfortunately, this is not a festival,“ Florman said, noting the difficulty of screening hundreds of thousands of visitors.

The committee is also warning visitors to expect to stand for several hours in the cold, normally 37 degrees F at noon, and park outside the city.

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On the Net:

http://inaugural.senate.gov/2009/planyourtrip.cfm?utm

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.