Today is the day, Nov. 3, election day. For the last month, readers have been briefed on retailers, along with federal, state, and local governments, preparing for what could be a night of social unrest across major metro areas following election results.
But what about the super-rich? How are they're preparing, especially ones with multi-million condos situated in urban centers where, if unrest were to break out, they would be at the epicenter of the chaos.
Well, from New York City to South Florida, NYPost reports luxury buildings have hired off-duty cops with submachine guns to ex-military snipers to guard against potential disorder.
NYPost starts in Manhattan, describing how luxury apartments, housing some of the city's wealthiest folks, have hired off duty cops with submachine guns.
NYPost identified several luxury buildings across the borough that have hired heavily armed security guards, including Columbus Circle's Time Warner Center.
"Everybody is worried about security," a source told NYPost. "Every top building is adding security. It's out of control. We hope it won't be needed, but we will be ready."
Staff at the building, located on 25 Columbus Circle, are working with NYPD officials and Homeland Security.
"There will be officers with submachine guns," the source said. "We've always had immense security, but there will be more. We'll have extra patrols. The entire building can be shut down with one button."
The source said the NYPD had advised luxury buildings, housing millionaires and billionaires, to "get extra security" ahead of the election.
Ken Griffin's $238 million condo at 220 Central Park South is expected to be well guarded. Other billionaire buildings, like 432 Park Ave., have added additional layers of security.
"Everybody is doing it, adding elevated security to make sure that buildings are safe," another insider told NYPost.
Even Class B buildings in Manhattan are hiring extra security.
A resident of a luxury building said:
"We're warned not to leave anything in our cars. People are hungry, unemployed and desperate."
Another New Yorker, with a luxury condo in South Florida, said her building in Naples hired ex-marine "snipers" to guard the facility on Tuesday and for the rest of the week.
On Monday afternoon, the National Guard was deployed to several metro areas to assist local law enforcement if chaos was to breakout.
Regardless of the election outcome - and or a contested election - the threat of unrest tonight appears to be elevated.
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