Federal Agencies Making Preparations For Possible Election Day Violence, Report Says

The Department of Justice and the FBI are making preparations in case there is violence on Election Day, Nov. 3, The Washington Post reported on Friday. Officials at an FBI command center in the agency's headquarters will monitor disturbances on Election Day, and coordinate an appropriate federal response.

“The Department of Justice takes election security and integrity seriously, and this year is no exception,” a Justice Department spokesperson said.

The FBI told the Post the agency would take measures to secure the election and authorities “are working closely with our federal, state and local partners so everyone involved with safe-guarding the election has the information and resources necessary to respond in a timely manner to any violations that may arise.”

President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military if there are protests against his potential victory on election night.

“We’ll put them down very quickly if they do that. We have the right to do that, we have the power to do that if we want,” Trump told Fox News in September when asked about potential rioting.

“Look, it’s called insurrection. We just send in and we do it, very easy. I mean, it’s very easy. I’d rather not do that because there’s no reason for it, but if we had to, we’d do that and put it down within minutes,” Trump added.

Trump has called for his supporters to monitor polling places. In September, a group of Trump supporters rallied at an early polling location in Fairfax, Virginia, with some voters and staff members saying they felt intimidated.

Although Trump has warned of left-wing groups rioting on Election Day, there is also the real possibility of right-wing groups inciting violence if the president does not win a second term. Members of the far-right Boogaloo movement and Proud Boys militia group have used violent tactics amid racial justice demonstrations in recent months.