Riot Fences Go Up at VP Residence as Washington Prepares Against Possible Civil Unrest Over Election
(Photo by Bryan Dozier/NurPhoto via AP)
Washington, D.C. is boarding up and hunkering down ahead of election day, preparing for the potential of civil unrest or rioting based on whatever the outcome may be, and those preparations include riot fencing designed to prevent being scaled by rioters that were put in place around the Vice President’s Residence & Office.
The Secret Service is on heightened security for both former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, in a campaign season that has already seen attempted assassinations and featured extreme rhetoric regarding the candidates.
“Rings of new security fencing enveloped the White House, U.S. Capitol and Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence on Sunday as federal and District authorities braced for potential unrest in Washington following Tuesday’s presidential election, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.
Screenshot via @Penguinsix on YouTube.
“A work crew was seen installing anti-climb fencing outside Vice President Kamala Harris’ federal home at the Naval Observatory,” Washington Times adds in its report. “The Democrat presidential candidate’s residence already has a wrought-iron fence and a security station at the front gate, but crews added the special fence along most of the property’s perimeter lining Massachusetts Avenue Northwest.”
Freelance photojournalist Andrew Leyden shared photos and video of those preparations on his X and YouTube accounts.
Anti-scale riot fence going up around the White House today. Fence was last used for Kamala Harris rally earlier in the week and they haven’t even had time to cut off the old signs yet. pic.twitter.com/2ruXNmqyis
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) November 3, 2024
Workers are installing anti-scale riot fences at the @VP residence tonight in preparation for Tuesday’s election. pic.twitter.com/CPQEyrA1D4
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) November 3, 2024
Around town, local businesses, too, are being boarded up against the worst.
A person walks past boarded up storefronts near the White House in Washington, D.C. on November 1, 2024 as local businesses prepare for possible civil unrest related to the 2024 presidential elections. (Photo by Bryan Dozier/NurPhoto via AP)
And there are road closures coming for the Vice President’s watch party as well, the police said in a notification posted to social media.
🚨 Traffic Advisory 🚨
On Nov 5, VP Kamala Harris’ election night party at @HowardU will bring street closures, no parking zones, & transit detours.
📅 No Parking in effect
🚧 Road Closures start Nov 4, 7 PM🔗 Full details: https://t.co/yINVUXXTBp pic.twitter.com/dFcDb1s4Jb
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) November 3, 2024
Here’s more from the Washington Times:
The statue of Andrew Jackson that sits in the heart of Lafayette Square — and has also been a popular target for vandals during past protests — is now inside the fencing.
Some of the fencing surrounding the White House appeared to be topped with barbs. There also appeared to be a stage under construction between the White House and Lafayette Square.
Multiple office and retail buildings were boarded up just west of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest.
One office building, which houses a U.S. Post Office, had its entire front facade covered in sturdy wooden planks. Another building diagonally across the street had a Peet’s Coffee and a Potbelly Sandwiches boarded up thoroughly enough that the two businesses had signs reassuring customers they were open.
Leyden’s YouTube channel Penguin 6 has footage from about town over the weekend showing the developments.
There will likely be more road closures and traffic redirects into Tuesday, and though police say they are not expecting trouble necessarily, all 3,300 D.C. police officers are to be on duty for 12-hour shifts now through the election, according to Chief Pamela A. Smith.
