Government, Private Businesses Make Chilling Preparations for Election Day

Many are preparing for potential Election Day unrest by boarding up buildings. Government agencies and private citizens alike are taking action.

The Secret Service is erecting barriers around key locations in Washington, D.C. This includes the White House and the vice president's residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. In major cities like New York, Portland, and D.C., businesses are also boarding up storefronts.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Secret Service said it is "working closely" with federal, state, and local partners. They aim to ensure "heightened levels of safety and security" ahead of the election. Fencing will also be set up around the Treasury Department, and bike-rack barriers have fortified the Capitol.

Howard University, where Harris will be on election night, will see increased security measures, according to local D.C. police. States are also ramping up security. In Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, "protective boulders" have been placed around the Bureau of Elections office.

In Massachusetts, additional police will be deployed to polling sites on Election Day. The state is activating a Homeland Security Operations Center at the Massachusetts State Police Headquarters in Farmington.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has activated the National Guard in response to potential violence "leading up to, on, and potentially extending beyond Nov. 5." Images of boarded businesses in D.C., New York, and Portland are surfacing on social media ahead of the election.

Ebony Boger, a D.C. worker, told ABC 7 News, "It is completely ridiculous that we have to do this. It’s very precautionary. I was here four years ago, and it was crazy down here. I think they should do it."

D.C. resident Lucas Argeles added, "It is sad that it has to come to that. I understand why store owners would want to do that. It’s the reality. I hope this time it’s just a precautionary measure."

These precautions follow warnings from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. They have alerted state and local election officials about the risk of "election-related grievances" motivating domestic extremists to engage in violence.

One bulletin stated, "[Domestic Violent Extremists] continue to create, exploit, and promote narratives about the election process." The bulletins warned of a "heightened risk" for some extremists to seek to initiate a "civil war."

The warnings highlight ongoing concerns about potential violence through at least early 2025. There is a risk that extremists may mobilize against ideological opponents, government officials, and law enforcement.