Businesses in different parts of the country are boarding up their windows in anticipation of the potential chaos that could arise after the election.
Police units are also preparing to tackle rioters and looters. Meanwhile, foreign governments warn their people not to visit the United States for concerns about civil unrest.
On Monday, retailers, offices, art galleries in cities all over the country are seen putting plywood on their windows to protect their inventory in anticipation of the mayhem that might arise after the election, no matter which candidate wins.
Although most offices remained closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, there were small numbers of dentists and doctors offices who are quietly informing their patients that they will be closed on the 4th of November.
On the other hand, New York restaurants and bars that are still striving to recover after being forced to close for months are still waiting cautiously to see what will happen. According to experts, many businesses are likely to pull their outdoor dining inside; however, they will remain open in the hope of some sales.
Small retailers are scared of the possibility of looting; however, more people are afraid of another lockdown and chose instead to stay open in the meantime, risking their inventory.
Notwithstanding Mayor Bill de Blasio’s claim last Monday that there is no particular threat, NYPD’s elite Strategic Response Team consisting of 600 cops on a bike, still prepares “for the worst.” One of the NYPD officers stated, “We’re hoping for the best this week, but we’re prepared for the worst. People have gotten emboldened out there.”
Deputy Chief John J. D’Adamo told The New York Post that they are prepared for what could happen.
The Sergeants’ Benevolent Association, the largest NYPD union, also warned people through Twitter that the “public safety is on the line.”
The union also stated that NYC and NYS need to change, and the laws are not properly enforced, that is why the violence continues in the streets.
Maybe if the media told the truth and covered both sides fairly of politics and police involved incidents we would not be dealing with everyday riots. Take a bow Wolf you failed with the rest of the media and now public safety is on the line. https://t.co/0rT6rXlIfj
— SBA (@SBANYPD) November 2, 2020
Earlier, the union also responded to a tweet of Wolf Blitzer from CNN, who shared a video of people boarding up streets in Washington DC. In the tweet, Blitzer said that this scene is something that he had never seen before an election.
The union responded to this with, “Maybe if the media told the truth and covered both sides fairly of politics and police-involved incidents, we would not be dealing with everyday riots. Take a bow, Wolf. You failed with the rest of the media, and now public safety is on the line.”
NYC wealthy elites hired armed guards to prepare for civil unrest
Meanwhile, New York City’s wealthy elites are hiring armed guards in preparation for the chaos that could run after the election. According to the New York Post, managers at the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle are sending off duty cops with “submachine guns” to stand watch.
On the other top buildings on Billionaire’s Row, such as 220 Central Park South, were already well guarded. However, they said they would observe extra precautions like keeping entrances locked up at night.
One person, who wished to remain anonymous gave a statement saying, “In 16 years, I have never seen anything like what is going on now. We are getting bottles, bricks; you name it thrown at us now.”
The police force is also actively preparing for the possibility of unrest throughout the week. Some businesses were also waiting to see whether or not they will close their stores.
Retailers are the ones who were most nervous about the possibility of looting, especially given how much damage it was seen all across the city in the summer over the killing of George Floyd.
