Boarded up shop windows, closed streets
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Washington and New York are preparing for rioting of their choice
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Workers entrench windows with chipboard to protect shops from rioting after the US election.
Photo: AFP / DANIEL SLIM
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Washington In Washington and New York, business people are using hammer and saw to prepare for the outcome of the US election. They barricade their shops out of fear of riots after the election results.
His company boarded up at least 20 buildings in the past few days, says Sean Anger. Such orders are nothing new for Anger. “We’ve already barricaded these buildings up before the riots a few months ago,” says the building contractor while his employees saw boards for the windows.
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In the summer, protests against racist police violence in Washington and other US cities had resulted in violence. The images of the riots are still well in people’s minds.
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Some stores only dismantled the boards a few weeks ago, for example Kosta Abatzis’ tailoring near the White House. At the end of May, a shop window was destroyed in the riots. Now the pane that has just been renewed is nailed shut again. “I think that looks terrible. But it’s still better than having to replace everything, ”says Abatzis.
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Many are afraid that the scenes from summer could repeat themselves. The president himself fuels these fears: he refuses to guarantee a peaceful change of power in the event of defeat. In addition, he makes no secret of his sympathy for armed right-wing extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, whom he asked “to be ready”. The number of arms sales has skyrocketed in the past few weeks.
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Around Times Square and the posh Fifth Avenue shopping street in New York, craftsmen put wood panels on many shops on Monday. In addition, the police sealed off the area around Trump Tower, the former residence of incumbent US President Donald Trump on Fifth Avenue, with barricades.
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The New York police will be prepared, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We will be prepared for many and long protests, possibly also different groups that confront each other,” said de Blasio. “But if it becomes violent, we will resolve it immediately.” After the 2016 presidential election, there were numerous demonstrations in the metropolis, most of which remained peaceful.
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More than 90 million citizens have already cast their votes. Many of them by letter, which will delay the vote count. It is therefore possible that the winner will only be determined days after the election. In this time of uncertainty, supporters of both political camps could take to the streets and, in the worst case, gun in hand, urge Biden or Trump to admit defeat.
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The police in Washington are also preparing: Tuesday and Wednesday the streets in a wide area around the White House are to be cordoned off. In addition, the police bought tear gas and stun grenades for $ 130,000, reports the local broadcaster WUSA9.
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According to other media reports, the University of George Washington advised its students to stock up on food and medicine – as if they were expecting a hurricane. “We know that some people would like to wreak havoc,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a press conference. “We can’t say anything specific about it, but we’re preparing to ensure the city’s safety.”
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Some groups are planning rallies, such as the Shutdown DC activists. They want to gather up to 10,000 people on the new Black Lives Matter Square in the center to watch election night on a big screen. The group does not rule out clashes with right-wing counter-demonstrators. “We trained for a long time to find out how we can make decisions quickly and get to safety,” said Hope Neyer from Shutdown DC. “We have recognized the importance of the moment and are ready to take risks for it.”
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Other cities also expect restless days. The shop windows on the upscale Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles are also nailed up and the police want to increase their presence in nearby Santa Monica. Still, many citizens are concerned: one in three fears election-related violence, according to a survey by USA Today and the University of Suffolk.
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