Preparing for Unrest: Businesses Boarding Up, Police Preparing to Monitor Polling Stations

Preparing for Unrest: Businesses Boarding Up, Police Preparing to Monitor Polling Stations

Cities across the country started preparations for possible chaos after Tuesday’s election.

Something tells me riots will only happen if President Donald Trump beats Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

New York

Let’s start with the big one: New York City!

It’s been bedlam in NYC since Mayor Bill de Blasio shut down everything due to the coronavirus and riots after George Floyd’s death in late May.

Businesses in NYC aren’t taking chances:

Shops including Chanel on Spring Street in Soho, Levi’s and Gucci in the neighborhood and others along Greene Street like Dior have taken those precautions.

Also boarded up were chain stores such as Staples, Ann Taylor, and a Bed Bath & Beyond in Chelsea, as well as the iconic Macy’s flagship in Herald Square.

High-end Manhattan retailers like Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman and Tourneau have also boarded up their storefronts.

Vincent Vallelong, vice president of New York-based Sergeants Benevolent Association, spoke to the Daily Caller:

The vice president of the New York-based Sergeants Benevolent Association, Vincent Vallelong, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that he hadn’t seen such disaster preparation in his city since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“Stuff like this was done during 9/11 when everybody went to 12-hour tours, but they basically put the whole job on alert right now,” Vallelong said during a phone interview.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I wouldn’t be worried,” he continued. “We’ve already seen cops get assaulted in New York the last time this broke out. This is something not to take lightly right now.”

This is Democrat NYC.

They’re not boarding up in fear of conservative violence. pic.twitter.com/vLTaHVAkS8

— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) November 2, 2020

NYC, 5th Avenue preparing for election violence. pic.twitter.com/ObgA8ya6Tp

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 2, 2020

I saw pictures of NYC and DC already doing this now add Boston to the list of cities preparing for whatever aftermath may come after the election. Some stores in Downtown Crossing already boarding up. This is a sad and scary time in America. pic.twitter.com/NA8aIBJruu

— Chris Sliwa (@Chris_Sliwa7) October 31, 2020

Businesses boarding up storefronts in NYC ahead of tomorrow’s election. There’s one day left #vote pic.twitter.com/RfdwrCPC6w

— Alex Hogan (@AlexHoganTV) November 2, 2020

Washington, D.C.

ShutdownDC has encouraged voters to “hit the streets” after they vote. Holy hyperbole:

On November 3rd, after you vote, volunteer at the polls or do get out the vote, come to Black Lives Matter Plaza. Thousands of us are planning to come together to defend democracy and ensure that Trump isn’t able to steal the 2020 Presidential Election.

We’re going to start this next phase of the election cycle in the streets. We’ll have GoGo bands, salsa dancers, artists, cultural workers, and much more. We’ll also be watching the election results coming in on big screens. Votes will still be coming in, so this will (probably) not be the time we need to create disruption to stop a coup – yet. But we’ll be in a good place to respond to whatever might happen. This has been a really long and dark era so we’re going to be together to process our feelings of hope, anger, fear and exhaustion as a community.

The organizers said it will end “around midnight so we can be energized and ready to hit the streets again on the 4th.”

ShutdownDC organizer Hope Neyer said the group is “staying ready” for the whole week.

D.C. businesses began boarding up windows and entrances a few days ago, especially the area around the BLM plaza.

George Washington University might become a point of interest for rioters:

Ahead of tomorrow’s highly contentious presidential election, George Washington University is urging students “to be prepared for possible election related disruptions” near the campus in Washington, D.C., and to stockpile a week’s supply of food and medication.

The university’s warning went out in an email to students on Thursday and Friday. GW student affairs and residential living officials suggested that students living on or off campus prepare for Election Day “as you normally would for a hurricane or a snowstorm” in case they are prevented from leaving their residences, according to the email. It included tips such as “pick foods that have a long shelf life,” “stock up on over the counter medications” and “be aware of your physical surroundings” starting Tuesday.

“Some may want to celebrate while others may protest,” the email said. It also noted that the results of the 2020 presidential election may not be determined on Nov. 3.

I saw pictures of NYC and DC already doing this now add Boston to the list of cities preparing for whatever aftermath may come after the election. Some stores in Downtown Crossing already boarding up. This is a sad and scary time in America. pic.twitter.com/NA8aIBJruu

— Chris Sliwa (@Chris_Sliwa7) October 31, 2020

Lots of activity downtown DC boarding up pic.twitter.com/J6fUGyhAzr

— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) November 2, 2020

Boarding up going on in DC all around Convention Center and Farragut North (pictured) pic.twitter.com/ceX0IKMwuQ

— Kristen Hinman (@kristenhinman) October 30, 2020

Washington DC businesses and even some homes are boarding up in anticipation of street violence after tomorrow’s presidential election.#Election2020 #VOTE pic.twitter.com/0UUODzSTcu

— Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi) November 2, 2020

These guys are busy boarding up windows in downtown DC ahead of Tuesday’s election. They say business has been good for the boarding-up and replacing-windows trade… pic.twitter.com/ZGG5XGUHkq

— Hannah Jewell (@hcjewell) November 1, 2020

Washington DC is boarding up shopfronts, preparing for election destruction. This is the 3rd time they’ve done this since June. pic.twitter.com/eQc8lhe30L

— David Lipson (@davidlipson) October 27, 2020

Chicago

Chicago also saw mass destruction after George Floyd’s death. Rioters destroying private property and stores along Michigan Avenue and around the city.

Brosnan Risk Consultants executive vice president Eric White said this is the first time in a long time that local businesses have had to think about security after an election.

White said Tuesday’s election “is clearly a potential triggering event.”

From The Chicago Tribune:

On and around Clybourn Avenue, the retail corridor on the city’s North Side that has been hit hard by property damage and theft during previous unrest this year, many stores were boarded up as of Monday morning. A few crews were in the area covering up windows.

“I’ve got four more jobs after this one,” Joe Daniels, an employee of Midlothian-based Cook County Board-Up, said as he wrapped up a job on Clybourn.

“We’re headed to the Gold Coast next,” he said. “They’re all worried about the election.”

—

Meanwhile, Macy’s boarded up its State Street store Friday. The department store said it was adding security measures at several stores “out of an abundance of caution,” but did not say what those measures would include.

Daniels hopes the stores do not remove boards late Tuesday because unrest could potentially hit later this week.

The city will up the police presence around town:

City officials said they will increase police patrols and are prepared to deploy 60 to 300 heavy city vehicles to protect commercial corridors and critical businesses. Police have set up hotlines for businesses and encouraged them to sign up for emergency alerts that can be targeted to specific regions.

The Office of Emergency Management and Communications is encouraging businesses to consider extra precautions like removing flammable materials, securing outdoor furniture, adding security personnel or temporarily altering hours during times of “potential demonstrations and activity,” including Election Day.

Chicago Park District boarding up Club Dub until further notice. pic.twitter.com/WQfLJuMcUT

— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) November 1, 2020

Well Chicago downtown is boarding up all the stores anticipating a #Trump victory! Otherwise what other reason or excuse to destroy the City? pic.twitter.com/AIX33JuMsG

— Joe Louis (@JoeLouis7) November 2, 2020

All over Michigan Ave and Lincoln Park, #Chicago area businesses are boarding up getting ready for protests and looting. Please stay safe everyone, be peaceful and exercise your right to #VOTE! pic.twitter.com/us9kvMXN8t

— Angela Chaudhari, MD (@AngChaudhariMD) November 2, 2020

Boarding up in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/ReKZmW0Kqx

— Richard Roeper (@RichardERoeper) November 2, 2020

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