New security fencing has been installed around key government buildings in Washington, D.C., in anticipation of potential unrest following the upcoming presidential election. The White House, Vice President Kamala Harris' residence, and the U.S. Capitol are among the locations where security measures have been heightened.
The Secret Service has erected eight-foot-high metal fences around the White House, the Treasury Department complex, Lafayette Square, the Naval Observatory, and Vice President Harris' residence in Washington, D.C. Additionally, temporary bicycle-rack barriers with warning signs have been set up around the perimeter of the U.S. Capitol.
Further security measures will be implemented outside the West Palm Beach, Florida, convention center where former President Trump is scheduled to hold an election night watch party. Metropolitan Police in Washington, D.C., have announced street closures, no parking zones, and transit detours in the vicinity of Harris' election night watch party at Howard University.
The Secret Service emphasized that these security enhancements are part of broader public safety preparations for Election Day and are not in response to any specific threat. The agency is collaborating with federal, state, and local partners to ensure heightened levels of safety and security in both Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach County, Florida.
These security measures come in the wake of concerns about potential post-election protests, following incidents of damage during Black Lives Matter and post-election demonstrations in 2020. Officials are working to reassure residents and businesses as they prepare for the upcoming election and its aftermath.
