“No matter who wins, there will be riots,” states one man as law enforcement agencies nationwide gear up for potential civil disturbances.
With the intense campaigning reaching its climax, the United States is on the brink of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump being elected President. Regardless of the outcome, citizens should be prepared for possible unrest.
“There will be riots regardless of the outcome,” one individual predicted on Twitter.
Another person commented: “My prediction: 1. If Trump wins there will be riots by the Left. 2. If Trump loses there will be no riots from Right.”
A third user mentioned: “Maybe it’s just me getting more aware and in the game. But this election seems the most charged that I’ve seen in my 27 years. No matter who wins, there will be riots lmao.”
The prevailing sentiment of potential chaos is echoed across the US, with many fearing the nation is teetering on the edge of disorder.
There have reportedly been three assassination attempts on Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, one of which nearly resulted in his death when a bullet struck a rally attendee, Corey Comperatore.
In recent weeks, incidents such as ballot boxes being set ablaze in Democratic strongholds like Washington and Oregon have occurred. In Arizona, a 60-year-old individual was arrested concerning gunfire at a Democratic National Committee office.
Additional incidents include a man being detained for threatening Harris campaigners in Michigan, allegedly attempting to run them over.
In Florida, an 18-year-old was apprehended for allegedly brandishing a machete at an early-voting site while waving pro-Trump banners.
Sheriff Tom Dart of Cook County, Illinois, has emphasized to the Economist that while he is not prone to alarmism, he is readying for potential conflict.
He stated to the publication: “I am just sitting on data that is indisputable…saying that we’ve never had more people saying political violence is OK.”
This comes after receiving insights from Robert Pape, a University of Chicago academic specializing in political violence.
Pape, an expert in his field, has alerted 199 additional police officers to brace themselves.
A poll conducted by Associated Press and NORC at the University of Chicago revealed that a fifth of Americans endorse violence to either reestablish Trump’s presidency or block him from office.
In an interview with the Economist, Pape cautioned: “We are going forward into a season of political violence.”