Democrats took a virtual beating over the weekend as preparations are underway for the party’s national convention — which is scheduled to take place this week in Chicago, Illinois. Part of that preparation — due to expected protests from the anti-Israel/pro-Hamas crowd — involves businesses boarding up and a literal wall of fencing being installed around the venue.

Scott Schapiro, who owns a menswear store that has been looted several times in the past, explained that some store owners are getting proactive simply because they’d “be safe than sorry.”

Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry. Most retailers are eternal optimists. They always think tomorrow is going to be better than today, and you always hope for the best, but it doesn’t always work out that way,” he said.

Downtown Chicago businesses boarding up ahead of anti-Israel protests at DNC: ‘We want to have maximum protection’ https://t.co/pKSuPuqISv pic.twitter.com/QcTky6U6lp

— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2024

Democrats are building a huge wall around the DNC convention.pic.twitter.com/PG4rgi1VED

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) August 18, 2024

Critics had a field day with the fencing, largely poking fun at the Democrats’ insistence that former President Donald Trump’s planned border wall was a waste of time because a wall would never work.

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR ‘AM I RACIST?’ — A MATT WALSH COMEDY ON DEI

“VP Harris called Trump’s boder wall stupid, waste of money. Now builds DNC border fence,” Rep. Darrell Issa posted.

VP Harris called Trump’s boder wall stupid, waste of money.

Now builds DNC border fence. https://t.co/gcH306MZLU

— Darrell Issa (@DarrellIssa) August 18, 2024

“Wait!! Democrats told us walls are racist & they don’t work!” Mary Walter, added.

Wait!! Democrats told us walls are racist & they don’t work!
##LiberalHypocrisy https://t.co/TDFhVpN0Ie

— Mary Walter (@MaryWalterRadio) August 18, 2024

“Hey look… Democrats are building a wall around the DNC. They can build walls to keep Hamas protesters out but can’t build a wall to keep illegals out of the US,” another posted.

Hey look… Democrats are building a wall around the DNC 🤦🏻‍♂️

They can build walls to keep Hamas protesters out but can’t build a wall to keep illegals out of the US. pic.twitter.com/l28gn1vyJe

— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) August 18, 2024

Another added, “Democrats: ‘Walls can’t protect US Borders!! Walls are RACIST!!’ Also Democrats: ‘We need a Wall around the entire Chicago DNC Convention to protect us from our own Liberal Domestic Terrorists!!'”

Democrats: “Walls can’t protect US Borders!! Walls are RACIST!!”

Also Democrats: “We need a Wall around the entire Chicago DNC Convention to protect us from our own Liberal Domestic Terrorists!!” pic.twitter.com/VQYfn4eaMS

— Michael Hustus 🇺🇸 (@HustusMichael) August 17, 2024

In addition, so many protesters are expected to descend on the city that police officers are seeing their time off canceled ahead of the convention.

Police Union leader John Catanzara spoke to the Chicago Sun Times and argued that canceling time off would destroy morale just prior to a high-stress event: “[It’s] a recipe for disaster.”

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), intend to keep busy while the Democratic National Contention (DNC) takes place in Chicago this coming week.

The Trump-Vance campaign released on Sunday a plan to “barnstorm” battleground states and call out the “failed record” of Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket, during a series of events from Monday through Friday.

On Monday, Trump will hold an event focused on the economy and energy in York, Pennsylvania, and Vance will host an event with the same theme in Philadelphia. Tuesday brings events focused on crime and safety, with Trump hosting one in Detroit and Vance holding another in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Trump and Vance will unite on Wednesday to host a national security event in Asheboro, North Carolina. On Thursday, Trump is slated to host an immigration event in Montezuma Pass, Arizona, and Vance is set to hold a similar event in Valdosta, Georgia. And on Friday, Trump is scheduled to host a rally in Glendale, Arizona at 4 p.m. local time and a “No Tax On Tips” event in Las Vegas.

Their campaign also listed other events taking place in cities across the battleground states with the same themes as the main events of that day. Trump campaign “allies” will hold daily press conferences in Chicago from Monday through Thursday.

“At the DNC, Kamala Harris will hide behind celebrities because everyday families know that she has been an absolute disaster for our nation, and real Americans are worse off now than four years ago,” said Trump Campaign Senior Advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles in a statement. “Harris has failed to answer media questions for 28 days because she can’t explain away her record of supporting policies that cause inflation, bans on private health insurance, destroying American energy, and higher taxes.”

They added, “As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again.”

The DNC takes place Monday through Thursday. President Joe Biden is expected to speak at the convention, as are former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State and failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is expected to deliver his vice-presidential acceptance speech on Wednesday and Harris will formally accept the presidential nomination and speak on Thursday night.