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Ahead of Election Day unrest, the White House is getting a huge, ‘non-scalable’ fence

Published Nov 2nd, 2020 12:53AM EST
Election Day 2020
Image: Vacclav/Adobe

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  • Election Day 2020 is almost here, and extraordinary preparations are being made to protect the White House.
  • Sources reported over the weekend that a massive, ‘non-scalable’ fence is being erected to protect the White House complex.
  • This comes as similar preparations to get ahead of Election Day unrest are being made across the US.

Contingency plans have put in place to protect the White House ahead of Election Day unrest, with the complex expected to be put on a kind of lockdown and a huge, ‘non-scalable’ fence set to be erected starting tomorrow.

That’s according to NBC News White House correspondent Geoff Bennett, who tweeted on Sunday night that these moves also include some 250 area National Guardsmen having been put on standby. This comes as a wave of action is also being taken across the country in preparation for property destruction and other disorder that’s expected to occur in the wake of the November 3 presidential contest. The cosmetics chain Ulta Beauty, for example, told NBC News that it’s “boarding up stores, closing early, and hiring overnight security guards” in some locations.

“We are hopeful for a peaceful week but are taking proactive measures to ensure safety for guests, our associates and our stores,” an Ulta spokesperson said. NBC News is also reporting that in Chicago, several businesses along the Michigan Avenue shopping thoroughfare have boarded up their windows. Moreover, the Magnificent Mile business association is reportedly working with the city of Chicago via an auxiliary command center set up to share information in real-time with businesses who would need to know if unrest or threats to property are imminent.

In what should be seen as yet another extraordinary measure being taken in the days leading up to Election Day 2020, reports have also emerged that agents from the Department of Homeland Security — including, for the first time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection agents — are being readied to protect federal property in the nation’s capital. Homeland Security agents have never before been tasked with being ready to get Election Day unrest under control.

Along these same lines, the FBI is investigating an incident from over the weekend that involved a group of Trump-supporting motorists in Texas which seemed to be trying to run a Joe Biden campaign bus off the road.

“FBI San Antonio is aware of the incident and investigating,” an FBI spokesperson told CNN. The incident happened on Friday, and according to CNN: “People in vehicles that were part of a ‘Trump Train’ began yelling profanities and obscenities and then blockaded the entire Biden entourage, according to a source familiar with the incident.

“At one point they slowed the tour bus to roughly 20 mph on Interstate 35, the campaign official said. The vehicles slowed down to try to stop the bus in the middle of the highway. The source said there were nearly 100 vehicles around the campaign bus. Biden staffers were rattled by the event, the source said, though no one was hurt.”

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1323072051402350592

Andy Meek Trending News Editor

Andy Meek is a reporter based in Memphis who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and he’s written for BGR since 2015. Andy's coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming.

Over the years, he’s interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.