White House ‘Non-Scalable’ Fence Returning As Secret Service Anticipates Election Unrest

Authorities in Washington D.C. are preparing for the potential for civil unrest following Tuesday's presidential election, erecting a “non-scalable fence” around the White House and ensuring officers are ready for deployment.

Common protest spots around the White House like Lafayette Park have also been cordoned off, and businesses have boarded up their doors and windows until after the election is settled, reports CNN.

It’s not the first time the nonscalable fence has made an appearance: It was also employed when the ongoing racial justice protests made their way to the White House earlier this summer.

The barrier around Lafayette Park has been in place for months, ever since police violently cleared the area for President Trump's photo op in front of a church.

Heightened airspace monitoring is also in effect. The D.C. Metro Police have been training for over a year in preparation for the election. Barring a landslide victory expect to see canceled days off to keep all hands on deck, D.C. Police Executive Director Patrick Burke told CNN.

"If there's no winner, you will see significant deployments of officers at all levels across the capital,” said Burke. "Officers will get cancellations of days off, extensions of shifts and full deployments of officers across the city.”

Many of these measures are in place for every election year as precautions. This year it seems more likely than ever that they’ll get a full test drive.

Large-scale demonstrations against police violence in recent months have seen looting and destruction. Right-wing militias and increasingly disruptive and aggressive Trump supporters have police worried in the event of a Biden victory as well.