From the White House to Howard University, businesses are boarded up, streets are closed and security measures have been heightened. Although there has been no specific threat, the Metropolitan Police Department said it is preparing for any challenges that may arise during election week.
“I want to be very clear: We will not tolerate violence of any kind,” said Pamela Smith, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. “We will not tolerate riots. We do not tolerate the destruction of property. We do not tolerate illegal behavior. Violators will be arrested and held accountable.”
Fencing and other security barriers are being installed around the Capitol ahead of the Washington elections on Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Police officers will work 12-hour shifts this week and “depending on what happens, maybe a little longer to make sure we have enough officers on the streets and in every corner of our city,” Smith said. Extra attention will be paid to polling stations and ballot boxes.
The White House and the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory are blocked off with anti-climb fencing. Many businesses near the White House on and around Pennsylvania Avenue are boarded up.
Multiple businesses near the White House, including a Panera location, have been boarded up in Washington, DC ahead of the 2024 presidential election. (Graeme Jennings / Washington Examiner) 
Potbelly is one of many businesses boarded up in Washington, DC, ahead of the 2024 presidential election. (Graeme Jennings / Washington Examiner) 
One location boarded up ahead of the 2024 presidential election is a local post office in Washington, DC (Graeme Jennings / Washington Examiner)
On election night, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), will attend a watch party at Howard University, Harris’ alma mater, in Washington. Howard is located in the northwest quadrant of the neighborhood and many streets will be closed ahead of the event.
Workers install safety barriers around Howard University in Washington, DC on Sunday (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) 
A fence against scaling can be seen around Howard University on Sunday in Washington DC. Democratic Vice President nominee Kamala Harris will spend election night at the university, her alma mater. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
The neighborhood construction sites ordered on Howard’s campus to suspend operations possibly through Sunday and “remove anything within your permitted work area that could potentially be used as a projectile.” There are some too road closures in the streets around campus.
Workers use a crane to install various safety measures near Howard University on Sunday in Washington, DC (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) 
A truck is seen carrying several concrete barriers Sunday evening as workers try to secure Howard University in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mandel NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
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On Monday, bomb-sniffing dogs made their rounds through cars parked along the National Mall.
Historically, the district has not had to secure itself in this way ahead of a presidential election. However, following the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the former president at the Capitol Donald Trump After losing the 2020 elections, the area has been on high alert to curb any post-election civil unrest.