Rodeo Drive Closed To Pedestrians, Traffic; Beverly Hills Business Owners Brace For Possible Trouble
BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA) — Business owner in Beverly Hills braced for possible trouble Tuesday in the wait for election results.
Some businesses boarded up their windows and removed merchandise from their storefronts on Rodeo Drive which was temporarily closed to pedestrians and vehicles.
The city is hoping to keep rioters and looters from entering the area by shutting down the upscale shopping road between Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4. along with other nearby streets.
Amid the George Floyd protests in late May and early June, Beverly Hills was one of multiple Southland cities that was hit hard by looters. They ransacked and vandalized businesses and set some of the ablaze.
The violence forced L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti to call in the National Guard and prompted Beverly Hills to institute a curfew for several days.
Ahead of Tuesday, Beverly Hills City Council approved $4.8 million for election security.
SWAT and Los Angeles Police Department officers were patrolling the area along with 80 armed private security guards hired by the city.
To increase security even more, 2,000 cameras were installed along the streets of Beverly Hills.
Nearby Tuesday, a pro-Trump rally was taking place but the streets remained calm near the boarded-up shops and restaurants.
