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Federal authorities are expected to re-erect a “non-scaleable” fence around the White House on Monday, a day before a presidential election many fear may lead to mass protest, civil unrest and even armed insurrection.
Amid speculation that the election result will not be immediately known and signs Republicans will either declare victory early or mount legal challenges if Donald Trump appears to have lost, multiple news outlets reported the White House plan, citing anonymous sources.
“The White House on lockdown,” NBC News White House correspondent Geoff Bennett wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
“A federal law enforcement source tells NBC that beginning tomorrow, crews will build a ‘non-scaleable’ fence to secure the [White House] complex, Ellipse and Lafayette Square. Two hundred and fifty national guardsmen have been put on standby, reporting to metro police officials.”
Fencing was put up during the summer, amid national protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the aftermath of the killing by Minneapolis police of George Floyd, an African American man.
Amid protests near the White House, at which federal agents confronted and assaulted mostly peaceful demonstrators, it was reported that Trump was taken to a protective bunker under the executive mansion. Trump insisted the visit was brief and for inspection purposes.
The summer protests also saw confrontations between law enforcement and protesters, and widespread looting, in major cities. In New York, Washington and elsewhere, stores have been boarding up windows in case of trouble on or after election night.
Law enforcement agencies are preparing to deploy. Patrick Burke, executive director of the Washington DC Police Foundation, recently told CNN: “If there’s no winner, you will see significant deployments of officers at all levels across the capital.”
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