Downtown D.C. Declared ‘Prostitution Free Zone’

The police in Washington, D.C. have declared several downtown blocks a “prostitution free zone” for Inauguration Week, reports DCist.

In an area just east of Mt. Vernon Square and west of Union Station, the police will be on the lookout for anyone seeking sex for cash. According to D.C. law, officers will first hand out warnings to people they suspect engaging in “prostitution or prostitution-related activities” in that area, and then they would arrest them if they failed to obey orders to disperse. A conviction could lead to a $300 fine and incarceration for up to 180 days.

The “prostitution free zone” includes the blocks between 4th and 5th Streets NW and between I and G Streets NW. Nearby buildings include National Public Radio headquarters, the National Building Museum and the Washington Convention Center, which is the site of several inauguration balls.

The zone is in effect from Friday through Sunday, Jan. 25.