Thousands lined up early Friday morning to gain access to the National Mall for Donald Trump’s inauguration — but more than a few entered without some of the items they had brought along.
Attendees were prohibited from bringing several items to the parade route or the U.S. Capitol grounds, including guns, backpacks, laser pointers and “any other items determined to be potential safety hazards.” Security stationed at checkpoints along the Mall, where hundreds of thousands were expected to gather when Trump is sworn in, were also on the lookout for long umbrellas, which were banned despite rain in the forecast.
All umbrellas had originally been banned from the event, though the National Park Service eventually relented on bringing collapsible umbrellas to the parade route and onto the Mall.
"Totes" style collapsible umbrellas will now be allowed on the parade route & the Mall on Fri, but no long, non-collapsible umbrellas
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) January 19, 2017
But some attendees were also relieved of not explicitly listed items when they went through the security checkpoint Friday. A BBC editor wrote on Twitter that his coworker’s banana had been taken by the Secret Service because “it hadn't been chopped into pieces.”
US Secret Service on Mall have just confiscated my colleague's banana cos it hadn't been chopped into pieces. #Inauguration #tightsecurity
— Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) January 20, 2017
At another security checkpoint, according to the Washington Post, security agents confiscated several umbrellas and lighters, as well as a beer can.
But among the contraband items was also more food: two Chef Boyardee cans of beef ravioli and sardines.
An unnamed volunteer put them aside: “This might be my lunch,” they said.
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