Airbnb to block, cancel reservations in D.C next week

NEW YORK (AP) — Airbnb says it will be blocking and cancelling reservations in the Washington, D.C. area during the week of the presidential inauguration.

The decision, announced Wednesday, came two days after it said it was reviewing reservations in the area ahead of next week’s presidential inauguration and said it will bar any guests associated with hate groups or violent activity.

Airbnb has had a policy of removing guests who are confirmed to be members of hate groups since 2017, when it blocked guests who were headed to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The San Francisco-based home sharing company also said Monday that it won’t give political donations to the Republicans who voted against certifying the results of the election last week. Airbnb joined Marriott, AT&T and others in taking that stand.

Airbnb’s political action committee donated $866,519 to candidates and political parties in the 2020 election cycle, according to Open Secrets, which monitors campaign finance donations. Democratic President-elect Joe Biden was the biggest recipient of Airbnb donations.

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AP Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report.