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Crowds jam Washington

WASHINGTON, Jan 20 – As the sun prepared to rise on Tuesday, throngs of early-risers crowded Washington to be a part of Barack Obama’s inauguration as America’s first black president.

At 4:15 am (0915 GMT), with the skies still dark and a winter chill in the air, the underground Metro trains filled to capacity as eager riders jumped on in the hopes of scoring a good spot for the parade or inauguration ceremony.

Washington was in the grip of a massive and unprecedented security lockdown for the event, which has drawn millions of visitors to the US capital for a chance to have a front-seat view of history.

Early televised traffic reports showed lines of headlights along the dark roads, an unusual sight even in this commuter-heavy area where many of Washington’s powerbrokers drive in and out of the city from suburban homes.

The Secret Service launched its final security sweep at 3:00 am (0800 GMT) of the National Mall, the vast green space that is home to the Washington Monument and where some die-hards stayed awake throughout the night.

Streets were closed off across the capital with concrete security barriers guarding impassible roadways as police and army guards kept up a vigilant patrol.

Late-night revelers in downtown’s trendy neighborhoods partied into the early morning, after bars and clubs stayed open until 4:00 am and exhausted staff struggled to serve the sudden surge in clientele.

Before dawn, the temperature hovered around 20 degrees Fahrenheit (six degrees below zero Celsius), with inauguration-day highs forecast at only 32 degrees (zero Celsius).

Metro officials warned that the subway system would be crowded, bicycles would be barred and public bathrooms would be closed.

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The ticketed areas around the inauguration ceremony open to ticket holders at 8:00 am (1300 GMT), with the inaugural program set to begin at 11:00 (1600 GMT). Obama is to take the oath of office at 12 noon (1700 GMT).

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