Airbnb announced on Wednesday that it is canceling reservations in the Washington, D.C. metro area during the week of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration in light of the deadly insurrection at the Capitol that President Trump incited.
In a press release on Wednesday, Airbnb cited the response from various local, state and federal officials urging against travel to D.C. in influencing its decision to cancel existing reservations as well blocking new ones from being booked.
“Guests whose reservations are canceled will be refunded in full. We also will reimburse hosts, at Airbnb’s expense, the money they would have earned from these cancelled reservations,” Airbnb said. “HotelTonight reservations also will be canceled.”
Airbnb nodded to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) warning against traveling to the D.C. Metro area for the inauguration.
Additionally, Airbnb said that it’s aware of reports of armed militias and known hate groups that are “attempting to travel and disrupt the Inauguration.”
“As we’ve learned through media or law enforcement sources the names of individuals confirmed to have been responsible for the violent criminal activity at the United States Capitol on January 6, we’ve investigated whether the named individuals have an account on Airbnb,” Airbnb said. “Through this work, we have identified numerous individuals who are either associated with known hate groups or otherwise involved in the criminal activity at the Capitol Building, and they have been banned from Airbnb’s platform.”
On Monday, ABC News first reported that the FBI warned in a bulletin of armed protests “at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20 January, and at the US Capitol from 17 January through 20 January.” The bulletin also suggested that at least one group is calling for a repeat of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Up to 15,000 National Guard members reportedly could be deployed in D.C. during the inauguration.
Hmm this seems quite forward thinking on Airbnb’s part. To search their accounts for people named as members of hate groups seems like a responsible thing to do.
Airbnb needs to import the Parler data to create a no bed no breakfast list.
Business opportunity! Who’s up for starting Alt-BnB with me?
I could probably get a hold of some slightly used trailers, I’m sure the crime scene clean-up guys did an excellent job of making them presentable again.
Gun lockers in every bedroom.