Security has been tightened at the White House and major commercial avenues across the US, with retailers boarding up their stores to head off any damages as America braced for possible unrest and violence in a bitter and divisive presidential race.
Vital government installations are on high alert while the Secret Service has fortified the White House. A “non-scalable” wall has been temporarily erected around the sprawling presidential complex ahead of the voting on Tuesday.
About 600 National Guard troops have also been designated to help respond to protests around the country if requested.
On election eve, contractors were seen busy boarding up major stores and businesses from New York and Boston in the north to southern Houston to Washington DC and Chicago in the east to San Francisco in the West.
Stores along the posh 5th Avenue in Manhattan as well as across the New York city boarded up and workers were seen drilling plywood onto the stores’ facade late in the night, amid fears that Election Day could bring violence, looting and clashes, similar to the chaos seen in the summer during protests over the death of George Floyd.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that he has spoken with Police Commissioner Dermot Shea and there is no specific reports or specific threats of violence at this point.
“Everyone, of course, is concerned about the election results and what plays out after. But I want to emphasise, at this moment, we don’t see a specific challenge. We are ready for all sorts of challenges. A lot of preparation has been happening over the last few weeks,” de Blasio said during a press conference.
Responding to a question on concerns about violence in the city on and after election day and stores boarding up, he said every store owner has to make their own decision and he respects the decision of each store owner.
“I want to talk about Election Day and the aftermath. Everyone’s thinking about this deeply. Everyone’s concerned,” he said adding that the city should be prepared for the fact that the election results will not necessarily be a 100 percent clear on Tuesday night or even on Wednesday.