White House beefs up security ahead of Trump's acceptance speech, protests
2020-08-28 09:37:00

Photo taken on May 29, 2020 shows the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

To appeal to his voters, President Donald Trump has made the enforcement of "law and order" a major theme of his reelection campaign, repeatedly lashed out at cities run by Democrats, and sought to paint a doom-and-gloom picture of what the country would look like under the Biden presidency.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The White House has beefed up security ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's speech to accept the Republican Party's renomination from the South Lawn on Thursday night, while protesters are expected to stage demonstrations in the capital city.

The Secret Service said in a statement that it, "in coordination with the National Park Service, is announcing perimeter closures of the areas in and around the White House complex," including Lafayette Park, which sits north of the presidential residence.

"These measures include security fencing which is being erected and will be clearly marked," the statement added. "These closures are in an effort to maintain the necessary security measures and ensure public safety."

Protesters opposing Trump are expected to gather in downtown Washington, D.C. on Thursday night. Shutdown DC, an activist group, has planned to hold a noise demonstration to counter Trump's remarks.

A pro-Trump rally will take place at Freedom Plaza, east of the White House, on Thursday night. The event, organized by the Maryland GOP and the Maryland Black Republican Council, expects to draw up to 2,500 participants.

Source: Xinhua Editor: Hiram