6 January 2021
WASHINGTON– {Several|A number of|Numerous} thousand protesters cheered President Donald Trump and his {baseless|unwarranted} claims of election {fraud|scams} at a rally near the White {House|Home} on Wednesday ahead of Congress’ vote to {affirm|verify} President-elect Joe Biden’s {victory|success|triumph}.
“We will not let them silence your voices,” Trump {told|informed} the protesters, who {had|had actually} lined up {before|prior to} {sunrise|dawn|daybreak} to get a prime position to hear the president.
The crowd cheered when he {said|stated}, “We will stop the {steal|take}.” That’s been the rallying cry of {protests|demonstrations} {against|versus} the election results.
Lou Murray, a life {insurance|insurance coverage} {salesman|salesperson} from Boston, {said|stated} he and {many|numerous|lots of} others still hoped Congress and Vice President Mike Pence would not {certify|accredit|license} the Electoral College. “I hope Vice President Pence has {courage|guts|nerve} today, and I hope any {politician|political leader} who {thinks|believes} he has a future {shows|reveals} {courage|guts|nerve} to {stand up|stand} and do what’s right,” Murray {said|stated}.
Pence has no {path|course} for {avoiding|preventing} the {certification|accreditation} of Biden as the next president.
From the Ellipse south of the White {House|Home}, the protesters {planned|prepared} to march to the Capitol {before|prior to} the vote. Trump {said|stated} he would be with them.
At the Capitol, Tim Teller of West Sacramento, California, listened on his phone while Trump spoke. “I {want to|wish to} {be able to|have the ability to} {tell|inform} my kids that I did {everything|whatever} I could,” he {said|stated}.
The crowd {gathered|collected} at the Capitol {chanted|shouted}, “We {want|desire} Trump.”
About an hour {before|prior to} Trump was set to speak, there were long, {dense|thick} lines at security checkpoints near the White {House|Home}. At the Lincoln Memorial, {dozens|lots} of Trump {supporters|advocates|fans} {stood on|based on} the {steps|actions} with {large|big} Trump flags.
Nirav Peterson, who flew in from Seattle to {attend|go to|participate in} the rally, {said|stated} there would be a groundswell of anger and {activism|advocacy} if Trump {doesn’t|does not} serve another term and {said|stated} Republicans who {don’t|do not} back him {should|ought to|must|need to} {face|deal with} {primary|main} {challenges|difficulties|obstacles}.
“{People|Individuals} are {angry|upset|mad}. This isn’t going to {go away|disappear},” Peterson {said|stated} as she took video of the {large|big} crowd {gathered|collected} beyond the steel barriers at the foot of the Washington {Monument|Monolith}. “You have {a huge|a big|a substantial}, {huge|big|substantial} {portion|part} of {the people|individuals} who aren’t going to take it {anymore|any longer}.”
Like {many|numerous|lots of} others, Peterson was not {wearing|using} a mask. She {said|stated} she opposes the shutdowns {prompted|triggered} by the pandemic and {doesn’t|does not} {believe|think} {anyone|anybody} {has|has actually} {died|passed away} from COVID-19. More than 350,000 {people|individuals} {have|have actually} {died|passed away} from the {virus|infection} in the U.S.
. {A number of|A variety of} {prominent|popular} Trump {supporters|advocates|fans} were {expected|anticipated} to {attend|go to|participate in} the {protest|demonstration} {events|occasions}, which {began|started} Tuesday with a rally at {Freedom|Flexibility|Liberty} Plaza near the White {House|Home}. They {include|consist of} Texas {Attorney General|Attorney general of the United States|Chief law officer} Ken Paxton and {longtime|long time} Trump ally Roger Stone, the recipient of a pardon by the president.
As {temperatures|temperature levels} dropped to the low 40s Tuesday night and {a steady|a stable|a consistent|a constant} rain swept onto the streets, {hundreds of|numerous} protesters {remained|stayed} in {Freedom|Flexibility|Liberty} Plaza.
“I’m {just|simply} here to support the president,” {said|stated} David Wideman, a 45-year-old {firefighter|firemen} who {traveled|took a trip} from Memphis, Tennessee. Wideman acknowledged he was “{confused|puzzled}” by a string of losses from Trump’s legal {team|group} in their {attempt|effort} to {overturn|reverse} the {results|outcomes} of the election and didn’t {know|understand} what {options|choices|alternatives} Trump {had|had actually} left.
“I {not sure|uncertain|unsure|not exactly sure} what he can do {at this point|at this moment}, {but|however} I {want to|wish to} hear what he {has to|needs to} {say|state},” Wideman {said|stated}.
Trump tweeted his {support|assistance} for the protesters: “Washington is being {inundated|swamped|flooded} with {people|individuals} who {don’t|do not} {want to|wish to} see an election {victory|success|triumph} {stolen|taken} by {emboldened|pushed} Radical Left Democrats. Our {Country|Nation} {has|has actually} had enough, they {won’t|will not} take it {anymore|any longer}! We hear you (and {love|like|enjoy} you) from the Oval {Office|Workplace}.”
In a Tuesday {evening|night} tweet, Trump {called on|contacted|got in touch with} Democrats and fellow {Republicans|Republican politicians} to {look at|take a look at} the “{thousands of|countless} {people|individuals} {pouring|putting} into D.C.” In another tweet, he {warned|cautioned|alerted} that antifa, the umbrella term for leftist militant groups that Trump {has|has actually} {said|stated} he {wants to|wishes to} {declare|state} a terrorist {organization|company}, {should|ought to|must|need to} {stay out|avoid} of Washington.
The rallies had {local|regional} {officials|authorities} and {law enforcement|police} bracing for {potential|prospective|possible} violent street clashes. {Many|Numerous|Lots of} {businesses|companies|services|organizations} in downtown Washington boarded up their windows, {fearful|afraid} that the {protest|demonstration} {could|might} {devolve|degenerate} into the {unrest|discontent} seen in {May|Might} and June when {dozens|lots} of {businesses|companies|services|organizations} were vandalized.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser {called in|hired|contacted|employed} National Guard {troops|soldiers} to {help|assist} {bolster|reinforce|boost|strengthen} the city’s {police force|police}. She {urged|advised|prompted} {residents|locals|citizens|homeowners} to {stay away|keep away} from downtown Washington and to {avoid|prevent} {confrontations|conflicts|fights} with {anyone|anybody} who is “{looking for|searching for|trying to find} {a fight|a battle}.” {{But|However}, she {warned|cautioned|alerted}, “we will not {allow|enable|permit} {people|individuals} to {incite|prompt} violence, {intimidate|daunt|frighten} our {residents|locals|citizens|homeowners} or {cause|trigger} {destruction|damage} in our city.”
| She {warned|cautioned|alerted}, “we will not {allow|enable|permit} {people|individuals} to {incite|prompt} violence, {intimidate|daunt|frighten} our {residents|locals|citizens|homeowners} or {cause|trigger} {destruction|damage} in our city.”
} {Police|Authorities|Cops} reported 12 protest-related arrests on Tuesday and Wednesday for {a variety|a range} of offenses, {including|consisting of} weapons charges, {assault|attack} on {a police officer|a policeman|a law enforcement officer}, {simple|easy|basic} {assault|attack}, {possessing|having} a stun {gun|weapon} and other {violations|infractions|offenses}.
Election {officials|authorities} from both political {parties|celebrations}, {governors|guvs} in {key|essential|crucial} {battleground|battlefield} states and Trump’s {former|previous} {attorney general|attorney general of the United States|chief law officer}, William Barr, {have|have actually} {said|stated} there was no {widespread|extensive|prevalent} {fraud|scams} in the election. {Nearly|Almost} all the legal {challenges|difficulties|obstacles} from Trump and his allies {have|have actually} been dismissed by judges, {including|consisting of} {two|2} {challenges|difficulties|obstacles} {rejected|declined|turned down} by the Supreme Court.
A pro-Trump rally Dec. 12 ended in violence as {hundreds of|numerous} Trump {supporters|advocates|fans}, {wearing|using} the signature {black and yellow|yellow and black} of the Proud Boys, {a far-right|a reactionary} extremist group, {sought out|looked for} {confrontations|conflicts|fights} with {a collective|a cumulative} of {local|regional} activists {attempting|trying} to {bar|disallow} them from Black Lives Matter Plaza, {an area|a location} near the White {House|Home}. {At least|A minimum of} {two|2} {local|regional} Black churches had Black Lives Matter banners {torn down|taken down|taken apart} and {set ablaze|fired}.
On Monday, {police|authorities|cops} {arrested|apprehended|detained|jailed} the leader of the Proud Boys, Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, 36, after he {arrived|showed up|got here} in Washington {before|prior to} this week’s {protests|demonstrations}. Tarrio was {accused|implicated} of burning {one of|among} the Black Lives Matter banners in December and was {found|discovered} with {two|2} high-capacity {firearm|gun} {magazines|publications}, {police|authorities|cops} {said|stated}. A judge signed an order Tuesday {banning|prohibiting} Tarrio from {entering|going into|getting in} the District of Columbia, with {very|extremely|really} {limited|restricted|minimal} exceptions {related to|associated with|connected to} his criminal case.
In addition to the National Guard, federal {agents|representatives} were on standby, in case they were {quickly|rapidly} {needed|required} in the city {this week|today}.
The federal Bureau of Prisons {said|stated} about 100 “{specially|specifically} {trained|qualified|skilled|experienced} officers” were {sent|sent out} to the Justice Department {headquarters|head office} to {assist|help} other security {personnel|workers} {but|however} would {remain|stay} “in a reserve {capacity|capability} unless {needed|required}.”
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