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With the 2024 Presidential elections approaching, the state of Arizona is reportedly witnessing a "dystopian" development—with police snipers, drones, and mounted patrols set to be deployed on Election Day.
Reports mention that the election preparations in the state are similar to wartime fortifications, Knewz.com has learned.
It has been reported that election workers in Arizona have undergone active shooter drills and have learned how to barricade themselves and repel armed mobs using fire hoses.
Furthermore, trauma kits containing "tourniquets and bandages designed to pack chest wounds and stanch serious bleeding" have been supplied to the state.
In Maricopa County, Arizona, the venue where election workers will tabulate ballots has been fortified with new fencing and concrete barriers, along with newly installed metal detectors, as armed personnel stand guard.
"The central clearinghouse for all ballots, called the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center, is now protected by a 7-foot-high wrought iron fence, concrete barriers and armed officers at every door. Inside, cameras are aimed at ballot holding areas secured by metal fencing," reports have mentioned.
In Pinal County, Arizona, the new "$32 million voting center features bullet-resistant glass, bollards to thwart vehicles, gates around the periphery, and security cameras monitoring the entire building," per reports.
On the day of the election, drones will be deployed to patrol the skies above the venues while police snipers will be positioned on rooftops. Furthermore, mounted patrols are set to be deployed to further ensure peace.
It has been reported that the state of panic ensued in Arizona ahead of the election results from the adamant belief of Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump that he won the 2020 Presidential race—and that the election was "stolen."
According to reports, the former President has repeatedly warned his supporters that the same "injustice" could happen again.
"Four years of baseless allegations of election fraud have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation among election officials from Atlanta to rural Washington state, transforming the way workers in many parts of the country are approaching the most fundamental of civic duties," reports further mentioned.
It has been further reported that election officials in Arizona have received repeated death threats for not supporting Trump's claims regarding the 2020 elections.
For instance, Stephen Richer, Maricopa County’s top election official for voting by mail, commented on the fortification of the state ahead of the elections, saying, "You’d have to be a psychopath to say you enjoy this."
According to reports, campaign officials are worried Trump supporters might storm the election venues to ensure the former President wins the elections this year.
The Department of Justice has identified three individuals who have been charged with threatening Richer. These include a man from Missouri who allegedly called Richer on his cellphone and warned that he needs “to do your f— job right” or “your ass will never make it to your next little board meeting.”
Other Maricopa County election officials have received vicious threats as well, like, “You’re going to die, you piece of s—. We’re going to hang you. We’re going to hang you.”
"To be honest, it was easy in the beginning to say that it [the threat of violence regarding] was just a 2020 thing—it’s done, it’s over... Well, since then we’ve proven that it’s a trend that’s moving forward," said retired Colorado sheriff, Justin Smith.
Tonya Wichman, director of the board of elections in Defiance County, Ohio, commented about the impending threat, "I’ve spent my nights awake, thinking of every worst case scenario that could happen."
It is worth noting that the war-like preparations in Arizona came right on the heels of Trump's suggestions of using the United States military and the National Guard for peacekeeping during the elections and fighting "the enemy from within."
During a Fox News interview with host Maria Bartiromo on October 13, Trump said that he was worried about the prospect of "the enemy from within" unleashing chaos on Election Day – notably "radical left lunatics," according to him – and suggested that the National Guard or the military be deployed to deal with this threat.
"I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within... We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics," Trump said in the interview.
"It should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen," the former President added.
Notably, the former President's comments fueled the Democratic camp's "fascist Trump" rhetoric.