Washington is getting ready as the US election looms

“VISIBLE” SHOW OF FORCE.

Rodriguez, speaking during the city council briefing, specifically warned of misinformation on social media in the coming days and weeks that could affect safety in the capital.

International events such as Israel’s war in Gaza add a “layer of complexity … that could breed political violence,” he said.

The FBI said it was setting up a command post to monitor threats, while the Secret Service – the agency tasked with protecting presidents, their families and high-level officials – said it would “enhance our security posture if necessary.”

Capitol police, many of whom were injured in the Jan. 6 attack, did not comment on their security preparations to AFP, although Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told a news conference they were “ready.”

No “credible threat” to target Washington during the election period has yet been identified, Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith said in a briefing.

Police would support peaceful protests, she said, but “we will not tolerate any violence of any kind.”

“We will not tolerate any rioting, we will not tolerate the destruction of property, we will not tolerate any illegal behavior,” she said.

She promised a “visible” show of force in the city in the coming days and weeks – culminating in an estimated 4,000 reinforcements for Inauguration Day on January 20.

On Friday, tourists flocked to a spot on the Ellipse — the park in front of the White House where Trump told his supporters on Jan. 6 to “fight like hell” — that allowed a view of the White House.

“Look at the guns,” muttered one, as armed Secret Service agents stood silently in front of the barricades.