WASHINGTON (7News) — Security will be tighter than ever for this year’s Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall as federal officials prepare for hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to attend one of the nation’s largest Independence Day events.
For the first time in history, the National Mall’s Fourth of July celebration has been designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE) — a rare federal designation reserved for events considered to be of the highest national significance and requiring extensive security coordination.
The designation is typically used for events such as presidential inaugurations, the State of the Union address, and major international gatherings. It places the U.S. Secret Service in charge of coordinating security operations among dozens of federal, state, and local agencies…