Local and federal authorities in D.C. are steeling for possible weeks of unrest stemming from Tuesday’s presidential election.
Officers will be on the streets, said Chris Rodriguez, director of the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, WRC-TV (Channel 4) reported.
Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said last week that the city hasn’t received any credible threats of violence and has not called in the National Guard for assistance.
Nevertheless, some downtown business owners began boarding up their shops over the weekend in anticipation of large demonstrations in the area over the next several days.
Meanwhile, “non-scalable” security fencing was constructed around the White House Monday night. Temporary fencing was also placed around nearby Lafayette Square, where law enforcement officers in June forcefully removed peaceful demonstrators protesting racial injustice after the death of George Floyd.