Bracing for potential unrest in the aftermath of Tuesday’s presidential election, federal and district authorities are installing security “enhancements” in Washington, D.C., with fencing around the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence, and the U.S. Capitol.
In addition, 8-foot fencing also now surrounds the Treasury Department complex and parts of Lafayette Square and the Naval Observatory, measures implemented by the U.S. Secret Service that “are part of wide-ranging public safety preparations for Tuesday’s election,” the agency said in a statement on Sunday.
The Secret Service is doing the same at the convention center in Palm Beach, Florida, where Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is hosting an election-night party, The Washington Post reported.
D.C. police announced road closures that will take effect Monday night around Howard University, where Harris will hold her election-night party Tuesday night.
“The Secret Service is working closely with federal, state, and local partners in Washington, DC and Palm Beach County, Florida to ensure heightened levels of Election Day safety and security,” the Secret Service said in its statement. “These enhancements are not in response to any specific issue but are part of wide ranging public safety preparations for Tuesday’s election.”
The added security measures are being undertaken by business and property owners in D.C. as well with the Jan. 6, 2021, riots on Capitol Hill still fresh in the memory in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
Shops around D.C. are boarded up or have added their own security fencing around businesses in the event of looting this week.
“There is concern around the city. We’re not expecting full-fledged pandemonium like we saw after Jan. 6 or four years ago,” Eric J. Jones, vice president of government affairs for the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, told the Post, referring also to the George Floyd riots in May 2020. “Honestly, it’s just fear.”
He added, “People would rather be overprepared and have nothing happen, as opposed to the alternative.”
All 3,300 District police officers will be deployed in 12-hour shifts, according to the report.
Also, one private security firm is mobilizing around 2,000 security guards to help protect their client businesses that are close in proximity to the White House and Capitol, according to the Post.