A joyless mood is spreading over the country as Election Day nears and fears about post-election violence increase.
On the heels of surveys showing that over half the nation’s voters believe there will be violence between the election and inauguration, law enforcement has begun to prepare for the worst. Some offices in Washington, D.C., are being boarded up, and police and military training has stepped up at the U.S. Capitol.
Three major national enforcement groups announced Thursday that they “stand ready and united to ensure that Election Day 2024 is secure, safe, and fair.”
The statement from the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Sheriffs’ Association, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association did not cite any specific example or report of violence.
Instead, the groups said that their vigilance is the result of a year and a half of Election Day training and planning.
Interesting timing. Practice makes perfect. https://t.co/buc9nlfh0l
— @Fortitude_Ranch Survival Community (@fortitude_ranch) October 30, 2024
“Our members have participated in tabletop exercises, received briefings from federal, state, and local partners, shared intelligence and threat information, held conversations with election officials, elected officials, and election volunteers, and coordinated with advocacy groups working to secure the election process such as the Committee of Safe and Secure Elections and the Center for Internet Security,” per the statement.
Should they be called on to quell violence, the groups said that they would make efforts to stay non-political while keeping voting open.
“It is understood law enforcement must be deliberate and vigilant with the posture taken on Election Day. While there is an obligation to ensure public safety and election integrity, this must be balanced with the notion that it cannot be perceived law enforcement presence be equated with election interference,” said the trio.
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Meanwhile, photos and videos have appeared on social media about buildings in Washington near the White House being boarded up.
And Capitol Hill this week was the site of military-type training with nighttime training missions of helicopters landing at the Capitol.
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Survival groups have urged residents in major cities to leave on election night.
A national network of survival camps, Fortitude Ranch, warned on its “Collapse Survivor” app, “The election results are likely to be contested, and there could be weeks of protests and post-election violence. There is no way to predict how violent or widespread this could become. But it could quickly develop and get out of control. If police are tied up with public protests, gang members and criminals know this is an ideal time for them to loot. If the post-election violence is bad and looting takes off, there is a chance that it could escalate into home invasions and marauding.”
