• According to reports, various events commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK), which falls on January 20, are slated nationwide from January 18-20, including parades, rallies, marches, and community service activities, with many cities holding major celebrations and memorials to honor Dr. King’s legacy and contributions to civil rights. 
• The timings and locations of the MLK events are as follows: 

1. MLK commemorative events and parades are held annually in major cities nationwide. These events typically attract a turnout in the mid-to-high thousands of attendees and transpire peacefully without significant incidents. However, considering that January 20 coincides with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, many of the nationwide rallies and marches honoring MLK’s contributions to civil rights and social justice will likely include anti-Trump elements, considering his perceived adversarial stance on social justice issues, including immigration, abortion rights, and LGBTQ+ rights. FORECAST: The expected turnout for this year’s events in Washington, DC, Denver, and San Francisco is expected to be the largest, with turnout estimates in the high thousands-to-low tens of thousands based on prior marches and parades. Houston, Baltimore, Phoenix, and Seattle are projected to see a medium turnout in the mid-to-high thousands, while Baltimore, Austin, and the Seattle march will likely see the lowest turnout in the high hundreds-to-low thousands, based on prior events and social media traction.  
2. FORECAST: These events are expected to proceed peacefully, with no major disruptions anticipated. However, a heightened security presence is expected around the venues and along the parade routes. Localized traffic disruptions, including road closures and restricted access, are expected in the vicinity of the event venues, from the morning hours onwards. While disruptions such as road closures, crowd management challenges, and security checks are expected, large-scale unrest is unlikely. Law enforcement will be deployed to manage crowds, especially in high-turnout areas, but the overall risk of unrest is expected to be low. Significant disruptions to vehicular and pedestrian traffic are also expected in the vicinity of the slated MLK events. 

Those operating or residing in the aforementioned cities in the USA from January 18-20 are advised to allot for disruptions to travel in the vicinity of the aforementioned locations due to the planned MLK events.