A few hours before US election results were declared on November 3, 2020 workers all around New York City hurried to board up the last windows.
“New York looks like a huge construction site today,” said a bystander who was taking photos of boarded up windows on the 5th Avenue.
On the morning of Election Day, the atmosphere was so calm in the city that we could hear jigsaws cutting plywood boards and hammer blows.
Retailers, banks and other businesses in the city who feared potential unrest on the night of the election and after, like the Black Live Matters riots in May, decided to take the lead and secure their storefronts.
“The store’s located in front of the Trump Building so we had to take the necessary action to stay safe,” said a security guard in front of Tiffany & Co, the famous jewelry store on Wall Street.
Three days after the epic Election Night, windows are still protected as the US awaits election results. And if people took the streets in New York to voice their concerns about the ballot counting, no major incidents were reported as of today.
Workers set up plywood boards on windows on Wall Street ahead of elections on November 3, 2020. Photo by Edith Rousselot
Workers set up plywood boards on windows at 44 Wall Street ahead of elections on November 3, 2020. Photo by Edith Rousselot
Workers set up plywood boards on windows on Wall Street ahead of elections. November 3, 2020. Photo by Edith Rousselot
Skechers on Broadway is boarded up on November 3, 2020 ahead of Election Night. Photo by Edith Rousselot
The Consulate General of the Philippines on 5th Avenue is boarded up ahead of elections. November 3, 2020. Photo by Edith Rousselot
Workers set up plywood boards on windows on 5th Avenue. November 3, 2020. Photo by Edith Rousselot
Bystanders stop by the boarded up windows of Versace and Longchamp stores on 5th Avenue. November 3, 2020. Photo by Edith Rousselot
This is a project of Lori Grinker’s graduate photojournalism class.
