NATO summit brings intense security, closures for downtown DC

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of dignitaties and military officials from 30 nations will be descending on D.C. from July 9-11 to map out the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance at the 75th annual NATO Summit. And with them, they'll bring a massive security presence. 

If you live near, or need to head to, the areas around the Washington Convention Center, Mellon Auditorium and The White House next week, you should prepare for delays and closures. But for business owners, it may also create an inconvenience in the bottom line.

Alexia Ramos built her plant-based smoothie business, Ana's Market, in a prime location, a block away from the Washington Convention Center in the heart of the busy Shaw neighborhood. 

“This is our first brick and mortar,” Ramos said. “We’ve been here since 2022. Residents here depend on us, its a very heavy gym community." 

But next week, that real estate may not be so prime, when NATO comes to town. 

“When we saw the guys setting up the equipment and all to secure this area that’s when I knew,” Ramos said.

While she blends, across town D.C. leaders are busy planninh. 

"Next week is not going to be a regular week in D.C.," DC Police Chief Pamela Smith said Monday at a public safety briefing alongside the D.C. mayor, members of Homeland Security, the Secret Service and the FBI. "“The biggest impacts will be felt around two security perimeters in place, around the Washington Convention Center and around Mellon Auditorium in Federal Triangle.”

Streets will be blocked to traffic, parking will be restricted, two Metro stations will be closed and some Metro Bus routes will be detoured for the days leading up to and following the summit (July 6-12). You can find all restrictions here. 

“There will be some hard closures primarily around the sites,” Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Secret Service Field Office, Matthew Stohler said. “You will also see rolling closures throughout the city.”

Stohler said the best comparison to recent D.C. events for how this will impact the city was the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit also held at the Convention Center in December 2022. 

Ramos remembers the event well, as she had just opened her business the month before. 

“That hit us hard,” she said. “That was unexpected, but we made it through that surprisingly.”

There have also been several permits to protest filed with the city. Chief Smith said the District stands by citizens’ right to protest, but only peacefully, reiterating that violence will not be accepted.  A representative for the FBI said the agency will take the lead in investigations during the week. As of now they have “no credible threats” associated with the conference. However, the agency will continue monitoring social media and web chatter throughout the week.

Despite the larger security presence and obstacles next week, Ramos said has no plans to close up.

“Everybody [on our block] is staying  open,” she said. "Everybody is weathering the storm, or the conference."

Instead of closing, Ramos will do her best to blend positivity into an unusual business week.

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