All D.C. police officers will be on duty in the coming days as Washington braces for the possibility of civil unrest around the presidential election Tuesday.
Officers will be on the streets, the director of the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, Chris Rodriguez told reporters on Monday.
Businesses downtown continue to board up their windows, and federal officials have increased security at the White House.
Crews were working on putting up a "non-scalable" fence outside the White House Monday night.
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The D.C. National Guard received a request from the U.S. Park Police to be on standby this week. That request was later either withdrawn or denied and the D.C. National Guard was told to stand down for now, spokesman Sr. Master Sgt. Craig Clapper said.
“That could change at any time,” he said. “Last week we were mentally preparing but over the weekend we were told to stand down.”
The D.C. government did not request National Guard resources, Rodriguez said.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said police are ready. She said she welcomes peaceful protests and warned against them turning violent.
At least six groups have requested permits for protests in the District over the next few days, D.C. officials said. Large groups are expected to gather in Black Lives Matter Plaza outside the White House.
The mayor said she is not considering a curfew for D.C. but would do so if necessary.
