Washington DC braces for unrest as White House is barricaded and stores boarded up ahead of US election

By Emma Soteriou

The White House has been barricaded and restaurants and stores boarded up as tensions continue to grow over the US election.

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Washington DC is bracing for civil unrest in the days and potentially weeks following the election, with businesses boarding up their stores and the White House erecting security fences in preparation.

Authorities have warned of a "fluid, unpredictable security environment" after polls close, but said they do not expect the winner to be declared on election day.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia's district attorney, Larry Krasner, told troublemakers to stay away, warning: "We're not playing. F around and find out."

Tammy Patrick, chief programme officer at the National Association of Election Officials, said 40% of workers had already experienced threats or abuse.

It comes after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, as they sought to stop Congress from counting electoral college votes and formalising the victory of Joe Biden.

"In many respects, our preparations for 2024 started on January 7 of 2021," Christopher Rodriguez, Washington's assistant city administrator said.

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Security fences have been put up around a construction site in Lafayette Park as workers continue to build the 2025 presidential inaugural parade reviewing stand.

Work usually begins in November but the Capitol riot in 2021 forced workers to flee early.

The National Park Service said construction began a month earlier this year "to accommodate additional time needed for a safer and more secure environment for construction activities".

Eric J Jones, the vice president of government affairs for the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, said: "There is concern around the city. We're not expecting full-fledged pandemonium like we saw after January 6, or four years ago."

"Honestly, it's just fear," Mr Jones went on to tell The Washington Post.

"I'm getting constant emails and text messages because people are really engaged.

"People would rather be over-prepared and have nothing happen, as opposed to the alternative.

"At a time when we are trying to revitalise, especially our downtown core, what we don't want is destruction of property that discourages folks from coming back to the city, or that creates a situation where we are trying to rebuild those areas."

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"Anybody who thinks its time to play militia, F around and find out," warned Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

"Anybody who thinks it's time to insult, to deride, to mistreat, to threaten people, F around and find out," he added.

"We do have the cuffs, we do have the jail cells, we do have the Philly juries and we have the state prisons.

"So if you're going to try to turn an election into some form of coercion, if you're going to try to bully people, bully votes or voters, you're going to try to erase votes, you're going to try any of that nonsense, we're not playing.

"F around and find out. That's what we're going to do."

The FBI has said it is setting up a command to monitor potential threats while the Secret Service said it would "enhance our security posture if necessary".

A statement from the agency on Sunday said: "The Secret Service is working closely with federal, state and local partners in Washington, DC and Palm Beach County, Florida to ensure heightened levels of Election Day safety and security.

"These enhancements are not in response to any specific issue but are part of wide ranging public safety preparations for Tuesday's election."

Capitol Police have not commented on any security arrangements made around the election this year.

However, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has said they are "prepared".

Many officers were injured during the January 6 attack in 2021.

But police chief Pamela Smith said no "credible threat" to target Washington had been identified as of yet.