U.S. Presidential Election 2020: Protesters gather near the White House in Washington, DC.
Washington:
Hundreds of Joe Biden supporters gathered at the White House on Tuesday night, fueling a festive atmosphere with booming music and dancing activists who expressed their faith that Democrats could reclaim the presidency.
The area, recently named Black Lives Matter (BLM) Plaza by the mayor of Washington, has been the focal point of opposition to President Donald Trump during protests for racial justice this summer.
Dozens of city police observed the crowds, who were held hundreds of yards (meters) from the perimeter of the White House by a fence surrounding Place Lafayette. A new non-modular barricade was also erected inside the perimeter.
“I’m here to hopefully celebrate the president’s departure from here, an early celebration,” Malik Williams, a 27-year-old school counselor from Maryland, told AFP.
Williams, who took part in the BLM protests, said he was supported by the polls and early vote results, adding: “I think everything will work out.”
“Honestly, I’m not at all concerned, I think he will lose and I think it will be a historic loss,” he added.
Some had traveled from far to reach the US capital on Election Day.
Ruby Estoy, 40, and her friend Concetta Leanza, 34, along with Leanza Hercules’ terrier traveled from Florida on Sunday.
“We came here just to feel the energy and to be here, and to really make sure our voices are heard,” Estoy said.
The pair, both of whom work in the financial industry, said they voted for Biden early, but added they didn’t know how their candidate would fare in their home state – a traditional battleground that leans toward Trump, according to the polls.
“Vote it!” added Estoy.
Another couple of friends, Traci from Pennsylvania and Lori Ricks from Maryland, also said they came to soak up the atmosphere and spark a loss in Trump.
The two women, in their mid-50s, said they took a day off to be there.
“I’m sick of what’s happening to our country,” said Ricks, a public school teacher.
She motioned to the perimeter barrier designed to keep protesters at bay.
“This has never happened before in an election. They never had to shut down the White House, close the windows for an election. I think that says a lot,” she said. .
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
