Major cities in the United States are preparing for potential unrest following the upcoming presidential election. Windows of banks, shops, hotels, and businesses in Washington, DC and New York City have been covered with wooden panels, while wooden fences have been erected around many buildings.
Similar preparations have been made in other cities across the country, including Boston, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Additional police forces have been dispatched to protect government buildings in the US capital as well as in other cities. Media reports say a non-scalable fence is due to be erected around the White House.
In New York City tensions have already escalated, with police dispersing a group of protesters.
A poll conducted by Monmouth University in September revealed that both supporters of Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden are concerned that the opposing side may be engaged in foul play, while a YouGov survey conducted at the end of October showed that 56 percent of Americans are certain that the upcoming elections will result in massive protests and violence.