Law Enforcement, Schools in the Bay Area Prepare for Post-Election Turmoil

Updated 11:30 a.m. Tuesday

State and local law enforcement officers are preparing for the possibility of mass protests — and even violent riots — if Republican nominee Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election.

His 2016 election win touched off a week of continuous protests across the Bay Area, including in Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco and San José. A few turned violent, including at some schools across the region.

“There was a lot of vandalism, destruction, things set on fire, things like that,” said Huy Nguyen, president of the Oakland Police Officers’ Association.

Law enforcement agencies are calling for peaceful demonstrations this week should there be similar unrest as election results roll in.

“Our officers are out there to help make sure that every resident out there has the opportunity to express their First Amendment right, the freedom of speech,” Nguyen said.

The Oakland Police Department, which dealt with vandalism, Molotov cocktails and fires in 2016, said it plans to provide extra staffing this year “to facilitate people’s rights to peaceful gatherings and to address any crime-related incidents.” The department also said it’s coordinating with law enforcement agencies in other cities, “enabling a regional response if needed.”

Some buildings in downtown Oakland were reportedly boarded up Monday night, and Oakland police headquarters was surrounded by barricades.

The Berkeley Police Department declined to share its plans to address potential civil unrest, but a spokesperson said the department is unaware of any specific threats or large-scale events related to the election.

In San Francisco, the police department said its stations are fully staffed and prepared to respond to emergencies on the day and night of Tuesday’s election.

“People are welcome to exercise their First Amendment rights. We will not tolerate acts of violence nor the destruction of property,” a spokesperson for SFPD said in a statement.

In a statement on social media platform X, the San José Police Department said it won’t be sending officers to polling locations but that it’s in close contact with the registrar of voters to ensure a safe voting environment.

Some Bay Area schools are also preparing for potential demonstrations in the coming days.

At Sonoma State University, school staff and campus police officers recently participated in a preparation exercise with local and state agencies.

Some states have National Guard troops on standby, including Washington and Oregon, where officials say hundreds of ballots were damaged or destroyed after three ballot boxes were set on fire.

So far, Gov. Gavin Newsom has not taken similar precautions, though his department is coordinating with the secretary of state and the attorney general’s office, as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to ensure potential demonstrations remain peaceful.

“Californians’ right to vote, demonstrate peacefully, and live safely and free from violence, intimidation and fear are core democratic values that our state will always stand ready to protect,” Newsom’s office said in a statement.

The Bay Area is no stranger to mass demonstrations, and public safety experts say there are a number of ways participants can keep themselves safe, including making a plan ahead of time.

“Suss out the location that you’re going to for the protest. Understand what precautions have been put in place, understand that location in terms of exits and where you will be situated,” said Stephanie Cyr, faculty lecturer of personal defense at San Francisco State University.

If you’re out there, she said, stay aware and use your internal alarm system, as things can change quickly.

“Listen to your gut. Take a look around. Always, even when you’re relaxed and alert, you should be scanning your environment,” she said.

If a protest turns violent, Cyr’s advice is simple: run.