'Count Every Vote!' Large Postelection Protests Seen In Several U.S. Cities
By: Bill Chappell (NPR. org)
Another day of protests around the country.
Of course, every vote is being counted. So the pre-planned protests really aren't accomplishing anything other than bringing large crowds of people into close contact. No worries, though. The pandemic ended on Nov. 3.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Public protests took place in several U.S. cities, including New York, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis, as demonstrators call for every vote to be counted in the presidential race. President Trump has falsely declared he has already won the election. Several clashes with police brought arrests.
Some of the protests had been planned ahead of Election Day. They were apparently intensified by Trump's attempts to pronounce himself the winner of a presidential race that's still playing out.
The president has also urged officials not to count ballots after Nov. 3 - and he is now amplifying that sentiment.
"STOP THE COUNT!" Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
Trump trails Democrat Joe Biden, with several key states too close to call. But on the day after the election, the president said his campaign will "claim" electoral votes in the undecided states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, and also in Michigan - where a narrow victory has since been called for Biden.
A large march in Manhattan on Wednesday night resulted in 25 arrests, the New York City Police Department says.
"Count every vote! Every vote counts!" the protesters yelled as they marched.
Clashes with police broke out later in the evening, and some protesters lit fires on sidewalks.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said weapons were found on some people at the march. These included knives, a Taser and M-80 explosives.
"Many businesses in this part of the city are boarded up anticipating more postelection unrest," NPR's Brian Mann reports.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday that protests in his city have "overwhelmingly" been peaceful. He urged New Yorkers to respect the democratic process, adding that violence won't be tolerated.
"If people have concerns, express them — but express them peacefully," de Blasio said.
In Minneapolis, police issued citations to hundreds of protesters after a march went through downtown and onto Interstate 94.
"Troopers and Minneapolis police cited and released 646 people," member station Minnesota Public Radio reports, citing the State Patrol.
"We're here because the simple fact is we want to make sure that Donald Trump and his cronies don't steal this election," protest organizer Rod Adams told MPR.
Many of the demonstrations included a mix of activists with differing strategies and goals.
In Denver, a march to the state Capitol building included Black Lives Matter activists as well as anti-police protesters, Denverite reports.
"The mood and actions of demonstrators and police changed as the march moved toward the District 6 police station in downtown Denver," according to the news site. "At least one protestor threw a firework at the station, which prompted officers to respond with what appeared to be tear gas and pepper-spray projectiles."
In the Denver suburb of Arvada, people gathered at city hall, urging patience as vote tallies are finalized.
"I just want every vote counted," Pat Malone, a rally organizer, told Denverite, which is owned by member station Colorado Public Radio.
"You know, Trump might win it if every vote is counted," she said. "So I honestly don't understand why everybody wouldn't embrace that."
Her goal is to support America's democracy, Malone said.
"If we can't even elect and get through an election, oh my gosh, I honestly feel like we're done," she told Denverite.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Seattle for a Count Every Vote/ Protect Every Person rally - one of several demonstrations that were planned for Wednesday night, according to Esmy Jimenez of member station KUOW.
As the rally ended, people danced and sang, "Count every vote." KUOW's Casey Martin says the event ended without police involvement - and that more demonstrations, organized by Black Lives Matter, will be held this week.
#CountEveryVote march in Seattle is now in full swing heading north on 1st Ave. pic.twitter.com/DmY3XxzLqF — Casey Martin (@caseyworks) November 5, 2020
The Seattle Police Department says seven people were arrested during demonstrations in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The charges included property damage and "pedestrian interference." Officers issued a dispersal order, citing damage to property, police vehicles and a blocked intersection.
Outside the White House inWashington, D.C.,"hundreds of people gathered in Black Lives Matter Plaza for a second night in a row," member station WAMU reports.
There were sporadic clashes with police, the station says. People danced and shared art and music as they waited, along with the rest of the country, for news about who will occupy the Oval Office for the next four years.
NPR's Sally Herships contributed to this report.
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I thought everyone was supposed to 'honk for Biden'. Amazing how quickly the pandemic ended.
Pandemic didn't end....a nurse friend of mine who dealt with the virus the first go round said the second round is starting.
I think we're still in the first round. It's only picking up steam.
What's really funny is that some of these dumb asses are saying "The pandemic is a hoax!" out of one side of their mouths and then proclaiming "We've rounded the corner!" or "The pandemic is over!" out the other side. So which is it Einstein's, is it a hoax or is it something real that we "got over"?
Let me clarify....she was on the Covid ward that was set up when hospitalizations were way up here in WNY in the beginning of the pandemic.
From her post today and due to the fact that cases are going up here she posted (Here we go again ...take 2).
So anyone saying that it went away because the election is over is full of hot air
Anyone who says it went away clearly has not been paying attention.
So like nearly half the nation of gullible idiots who have their heads stuck up Trumps "reality". They'll just say that it's the liberals fault that those on the right are so poor they can't pay attention...
Don't tell me. Tell the protesters. The large crowds of protesters are in close contact with each other while shouting and singing.
Why haven't the mandates and guidelines been strengthened? Why aren't people who ignore COVID symptoms and go out in public punished? Why aren't hygienic methods commonly used in other parts of the world not included in the guidelines?
These protesters don't appear to be too concerned.
They're part of the problem.
I agree they're part of the problem. What I don't understand is why protesters are being treated differently by the press and are being ignored by those concerned about the pandemic.
Yeah, pretty much.
Its been all over the news today:
What may have seemed like a ridiculously high prediction weeks ago has turned into reality -- and much faster than health experts expected.
The US just reported its highest number of new coronavirus infections in a single day -- 102,831 on Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University . (Read it all)
Let's face it-- there are a lot of real "dumbasses" out there!
And here's the really scary part-- many of them reproduce!
Don't tell me.
Well, you are in a public discussion forum. Posting things.
And you don't want people to reply?
(Well, perhaps you would be happier elsewhere-- because you not going to discourage people from replying in a discussion forum.
Especially if you deliberately post provacitive-- and totally false!-- comments!
HONK IF YOU LOVE JESUS!
Or-- if you're a Goose!
Vote this comment up if you wish Nerm would finally learn to understand how public Discussion Forums work!
Obviously.
Based on many of your comments its obvious you don't understand much of what's going on!
(Not that there's anything wrong with that
And. perhaps most importantly of all-- why are you asking all questions? Why do you constantly derail your own discussions? Why are you poorly informed about current events that you have to ask everyone else?
Curious minds want to know!
Understatement!
Yes-- its totally ended!
Amazing how effective Trump was at totally ending it!
You only post facts Nerm!
Good for you!
(Although they are "Alternative facts"-- but I guess that "It is what is is"...or is it?)
Here are the actual "True Facts" : from todays news:
The US Just Reported 102,831 New Covid-19 Infections In 1 Day. That's An All-Time High
16 states set new records for hospitalizations
Today we registered 118,204 new COVID cases and 1125 deaths. This breaks yesterday's record number of cases.
To be fair to Trump, he rounded the corner and didn't see the 118,204 new cases since they had disappeared. And the deaths never happened, they are ''fake news''.
Perhaps they were risen from the grave?
Many people are saying that Trump has magickal Powers-- and should be worshipped. (Like Jeebus!)
MSNBC reported that a Pennsylvania public official familiar with the vote count has sent a message to the Biden campaign telling them to "prepare to celebrate" .
Yea...that's not sketchy at all s/
Probably that rather than just "going away", the Virus is now actually increasing at an alarming rate!
No on i saying that he used "Etch-a-Sketch"!
Anyone here remember Etch-a-Sketch?
Sorry, I wasn;t paying attention and messed up the formatting and text. I was too busy playing with my Etch-a-Sketch-- and the my Chia pet came over demanding to be fed-- and watered!
(My Pet rock drank all his water!)
I wonder what he meant by that?
Let's hope it is true, and not some nasty game he's playing.
LasI I looked Pennsylvania was amazingly close-- less than 1% separated the votes for Biden and Trump! (really too early for either side to celebrate).
Although didn't Trump say that the race was over and he now won?(I believe that was yesterday???)