Election Tension: East Bay Businesses Prepare For Possible Unrest
WALNUT CREEK (KPIX 5) -- In many places around the East Bay and Bay Area, people are boarding up shops and preparing for the unknown in the wake of Tuesday's presidential election.
Downtown Walnut Creek was no exception, with plywood panels covering up numerous businesses hours before Election Day.
"My parents have been telling me to watch out because for Election Day and stuff," said Bryce Sampson of Walnut Creek.
Will there be civil unrest? The what-if's have businesses on notice.
At Mscape, a furniture store that recently opened its doors, employee Eve Jazmin said Monday that they will be boarding up all of their glass windows just in case.
"We were informed by our landlord that we were gonna have some activities after the election or during the election tomorrow night," Jazmin said.
• ALSO READ: Bay Area Police Departments Prepare For Potential Post-Election Unrest
Much of that concern comes from the fact that President Donald Trump has not fully agreed to a peaceful transfer of power, if it turns out he loses the election to former Vice President Joe Biden.
"In the past, both sides would accept the verdict of the voters," said John Trasvina, former dean of the University of San Francisco School of Law.
KPIX 5 asked Tresvina, "Are we building up this unknown to make it something that it's not?"
"There's always that possibility for speculation," but when you see and hear reports from members of the intelligence committee, members of law enforcement and members of both parties talking about the expected actions of the President are," Tresvina said. "When you hear the President himself decline to say I will support a peaceful transition of power, then all possibilities are on the table."
