Workers boarded up the District’s downtown businesses and fenced off the vice president’s residence Sunday as the city prepared for potential vandalism in the wake of this week’s presidential election.
A work crew was seen installing anti-climb fencing outside Vice President Kamala Harris’ federal home at the Naval Observatory.
The Democrat presidential candidate’s residence already has a wrought-iron fence and a security station at the front gate, but crews added the special fence along most of the property’s perimeter lining Massachusetts Avenue Northwest.
The White House, which also has a wrought-iron fence along its border, had its South Lawn almost completely cordoned off by an additional layer of the anti-climb fence. New fencing encircled the half of Lafayette Square that’s connected to the executive mansion’s northern face.
The statue of Andrew Jackson that sits in the heart of Lafayette Square — and has also been a popular target for vandals during past protests — is now inside the fencing.
Some of the fencing surrounding the White House appeared to be topped with barbs. There also appeared to be a stage under construction between the White House and Lafayette Square.
SEE ALSO: Massive security walls and fences transform Washington streets ahead of Election Day
Multiple office and retail buildings were boarded up just west of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest.
One office building, which houses a U.S. Post Office, had its entire front facade covered in sturdy wooden planks. Another building diagonally across the street had a Peet’s Coffee and a Potbelly Sandwiches boarded up thoroughly enough that the two businesses had signs reassuring customers they were open.
A boarded-up McDonald’s on nearby 17th Street Northwest also had multiple handwritten signs taped to the wooden barriers saying “McDonald’s we are open.”
About a block away from the White House near McPherson Square, a six-man work crew was sawing up plywood and positioning supportive braces on the front of the McPherson Building.
The building includes offices for Booz Allen Hamilton and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, which were also heavily boarded up.
Further down I Street Northwest near Franklin Square Park, a protruding wooden barrier walled off windows to the Pow Pow vegan restaurant and the Blick Art Materials storefront.
The District is not the only place preparing for potential vandalism in reaction to Tuesday night’s election.
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, said he has the National Guard on standby in case of post-election violence.
“This is a purely precautionary measure taken in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s nationwide warnings regarding threats to election infrastructure and other recent activities that have occurred in southwestern Washington,” the governor’s office said.
Last week, an agitator set off an incendiary device in a ballot drop box in Vancouver, Washington, that destroyed hundreds of ballots. Similar incidents happened in nearby Oregon.
Local police haven’t made an arrest in connection to the ballot box fire but believe the suspect is a male in his 30s or 40s, is balding or has short hair and has a grasp of metalworking and welding, Fox 13 Seattle reported.
• Alex Miller contributed to this report.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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