A protester holds a flag during a protest over the early results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Philadelphia Cream:
Supporters of US President Donald Trump, some armed with rifles, escalated protests Thursday night against what he called a baseless rigged election, in battlefield states where votes were still counted.
The protests have been largely peaceful, although Trump supporters have occasionally shouted with counter-protesters. Trump says the election is stolen but there is no evidence of fraud.
In Arizona, one of the closely contested states in the too-close race between Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, supporters of Trump and Biden briefly fought outside the Maricopa County Election Department in Phoenix.
Several heavily armed right-wing groups gathered at the site as election workers counted votes inside, but protests remained mostly peaceful despite mounting tensions.
Local election officials continued to compile ballots across the country, in some cases processing an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots that have accumulated as the preferred voting option during the coronavirus pandemic.
In Philadelphia, police said they arrested a man and seized a gun as part of an investigation into an alleged plot to attack the city’s Pennsylvania Convention Center, where the votes were being counted.
But otherwise, the scene in Philadelphia was less confrontational – festive, even – where pro-Trump and pro-Biden protesters were separated by portable waist-high barriers under a heavy police presence.
With the future of the presidency on the line, turbulent encounters also took place in New York and Washington, as well as swing-state cities such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Las Vegas, Nevada; Detroit, Michigan; and Atlanta, Georgia.
On the internet, Facebook suppressed a fast-growing group in which Trump supporters published violent rhetoric, as he and other social media companies preyed on baseless allegations and potential violence.
Trump supporters have taken inspiration from the president, who has repeatedly and incorrectly claimed that postal votes are particularly prone to fraud.
In Phoenix, Trump supporters briefly pursued a man who held up a sign depicting the president as a Nazi pig behind a scene where right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was speaking.
Police intervened and put an end to the altercation after the man and his small group of counter-protesters were surrounded by Trump activists.
“They are trying to steal the election, but America knows what happened and is fighting back,” Jones told the crowd of some 300.
Philadelphia Liberty
As postal ballots in Pennsylvania cut off Trump’s lead, protesters in Philadelphia danced. Two people dressed in post office box costumes bounced to pulsating music while carrying a banner that read, “The battle is not over.” Others, supported by a live drummer, marched behind the “Union members fight to count every vote” sign.
Trump activists waved flags and carried signs saying “Voting stops on Election Day” and “Sorry, the polls are closed.” Biden supporters have shown their support for officials who worked inside.
“We cannot allow the counters to be intimidated,” said Bob Posuney, 70, a retired social worker. “We are not going to create a disturbance or hurt anybody.”
In Milwaukee, about 50 Trump supporters gathered for a “Stop the Steal” rally outside a city building where votes were counted, playing country music, waving flags and carrying “Recount” and “Recount” signs. Rigged ”.
At least one man had a gun in his holster.
A dozen counter-protesters arrived later, shouting “Black lives matter” and “say their names”, referring to victims of police brutality. Others have laid eggs at Trump supporters from a passing car.
“The future of my country is what brings me here tonight,” said Mitchell Landgraf, a 21-year-old construction worker who first voted in a presidential election for Trump. “I’m afraid that if it goes one way, this country will come down quickly.”
At least 400 protesters gathered outside the Clark County Elections Department in Las Vegas. Loud patriotic hymns rang out over the speakers as people waved giant Trump and American flags.
In Detroit, a Black Trump supporter and a Black Democratic supporter clashed for a screaming match. Previously, police had attempted to separate Black Lives Matter-aligned protesters from the Trump group, but quickly relented, allowing them to mingle and yell at each other.
A woman carrying a holster pistol said she represented the Michigan Home Guard, a right-wing militia.
“I am not going to burn the city down violently, but I will continue to fight for electoral integrity,” said Michelle Gregoire, 29, in a state where election results showed Trump a lead on election night which turned into a Biden win on Wednesday. “It’s not OK what they’re doing in there.”
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
