Make America Great Again March in Center City Saturday

WASHINGTON – Tens of thousands of people clad in red, white and blue rallied and marched in support of outgoing President Donald Trump in Washington on Saturday afternoon to protest supposed voter fraud in the 2022 presidential election. But every bit night fell, skirmishes between protesters and counterprotesters broke out across the metropolis.

At least xx people had been arrested as of Sat evening on a variety of charges, including assault and weapons possession, The Associated Press reported. One stabbing was reported, two constabulary officers were injured and several firearms were also recovered by police.

The daytime rally – advertised by several names including One thousand thousand MAGA March, Stop the Steal and March for Trump – started at Freedom Plaza, where the crowd'southward chants of "four more years" and "stop the steal" largely drowned out event speakers. Part of the group and so marched to the Capitol.

The crowd was largely protesting"voter fraud," to "show support for our President" and to "preserve the integrity of the vote," co-ordinate to various event pages. Trump has refused to concede and leveled allegations of voter fraud to claim the election was stolen from him.

Most of the rally participants were non wearing face masks, which help forbid the spread of COVID-19. The massive oversupply, filled with red Make America Great Again hats and large flags with Trump's name, was an unusual site in the nation's capital letter, a liberal city. Biden won D.C with 93% of the vote, according to The Associated Press.

Many in the crowd traveled from beyond the U.S. to attend the event.

Tracy Lavis, wearing a red Trump flag as a cape, waved a large American flag in the square with others who traveled with her from Michigan for the event.

"I needed to be here. We all demand to testify our president some support," Lavis said, explaining she took an overnight bus to go to D.C. for the rally. "He needs it. He needs the states. He's been wrung through the wringer since twenty-four hour period one."

Lavis, like other supporters, railed against the integrity of the election and the media declaring former Vice President Joe Biden the victor. "It's not fair. Every legal vote should be counted," she added.

Jeremy Cleary and his mother, Lois, drove from Pennsylvania to support the president. "This is far from over," Jeremy Cleary said of Trump. "He's still in information technology."

He noted that he hadn't seen any violence and said he hopes that continues.

"No matter what happens with the ballot, I'chiliad hoping nosotros can all come together afterward," he said. "I accept a lot of religion in the American people that we can do this."

Backstory:We investigated claims of voter fraud in the election. Here's what nosotros found.

More:Virtually Republican lawsuits challenging ballot results in battleground states haven't gone far

Marcello Milone, who traveled with his family unit, including his xv-year-old son, from South Carolina, said they were there to "demand the truth."

"I don't understand how the country went to bed with Trump upwards by tons of votes on ballot night then days later Biden is called the winner," he said, waving an American flag. "Information technology doesn't make any sense."

Biden made a comeback in several swing states after millions of absentee and postal service-in ballots were counted. The delay was due to a significant rise in mail-in ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Milone argued recounting votes in many states was needed and it would reassure the country of the results.

"If you tin do this today, whether you lot like Biden or you lot like Trump, what happens when you lot don't like the next one," he added. "We need the truth because this is a fundamental aspect of American democracy."

Few counterprotesters were spotted nearly the initial rally, but several D.C. locals held up signs reading "TRUMP LOST." The small group attracted the attending of some Trump supporters, who laughed at the group and yelled things like "y'all're a joke" and "the election was rigged."

Jan Bisaga, 27, waved a black "TRUMP IS OVER" sign at Republicans marching around the Capitol. "Welcome to DC!" he screamed while waving at Trump supporters. "Trump lost! Woo!" Trump supporters threw things at him, tore his sign and yelled expletives and "brainwashed by the media!"

Bisaga, who lives in the D.C. area, said he decided to come out and antagonize Trump'south supporters. "I wanted to celebrate Biden'south neat victory and to be honest, troll these Trump supporters," he said, laughing. "Them marching isn't irresolute the consequence just like me beingness out here isn't doing annihilation."

Afterward Saturday, Trump supporters faced off with a group of virtually two dozen counterprotesters about the Supreme Court, where some held upwards signs supporting Biden and Black Lives Thing. 1 affiche said: "We fabricated it great on Nov. 3! Get home!"

Dozens of officers– several in riot gear –and metal barricades separated the two groups as they screamed expletives at one some other through megaphones. Police had to move back counterprotesters several times as Trump supporters yelled threats and dared them to come face up-to-face.

Near Matrimony Station, Trump supporters and counterprotesters fought, and 1 man was left bloodied. The man, who was wearing an American flag mask, was punched multiple times in the face by at least two people wearing all blackness. Law and medics quickly offered assistance to the man, who complanate on the ground.

At Black Lives Matter plaza, simply a block from the White Firm, Trump supporters and counterprotesters faced off in a number of tense confrontations. Liberals chased conservatives from the plaza, some violent flags from Trump supporters and screaming at them on megaphones to "get out" of the urban center.

Counterprotesters tore ane red Trump flag from a Trump supporter and lit it on burn down in the square. In another atmospherics, a Trump supporter used a long white PVC pipe and swung at counterprotesters after someone swiped his chapeau. Law increased their presence and were using bikes to brand a protective line around Trump supporters trying to go out the area.

Saturday dark, a group of several dozen people – many wearing all blackness – moved through the streets, targeting anyone in Trump attire. A group of Trump supporters were dining at P.J. Clarke's near the White Business firm, and someone in the group launched a firework at them, which exploded most a couple's table equally they walked away. A man who was dining picked upwardly a chair and threw information technology at some journalists.

Some people traded shoves, punches and slaps, as seen via videos on social media. A man with a bullhorn yelling "Go out of here!" was shoved and pushed to the street by a homo who was and then surrounded by several people and shoved and punched until he cruel face first into the street. Bloody and dazed, he was picked up and walked to a police officer.

After several arrests, the group and constabulary clashed, and police force used a chemic agent on the crowd. Several people vandalized with graffiti a truck with a MAGA hat on its dashboard outside The Capitol Hilton and slashed one of its tires. People who were hit by the chemic were crying as others washed out their eyes with water.

Although the rally was not considered an extremist event, information technology caused a buzz in correct-wing circles on social media including Parler and Telegram, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Much similar the social media site Gab, Parler has chop-chop attracted the extremist crowd in improver to cocky-proclaimed centre-correct conservatives.

Oren Segal, vice president for the Anti-Defamation League's Middle on Extremism, told United states of america TODAY he doesn't believe the event would exist a public safety threat. "I would say the D.C. march is kind of a physical manifestation of online platforms like Parler where people are introduced to more extreme concepts," Segal said. "That's the danger."

Background on today's rallies:Trump supporters plan rallies in Washington DC, experts warn extremists may attend

Among the crowd Sabbatum, there were several massive 20- or thirty-foot flags that supporters held out to be spotted from above. "TRUMP 2022 LAW AND ORDER" read one bluish and black flag.

Merchandise carts were sprinkled on virtually every corner effectually the plaza, with merchants yelling "buy your finish the steal T-shirts!" Some passed out posters with Trump being depicted as Superman. One man was attempting to sell Trump face masks, screaming to the crowd, "go on your germs to yourself!"

White House press secretarial assistant Kayleigh McEnany claimed on Twitter that the oversupply size was "more than one million marchers," and Trump said on Twitter that "hundreds of thousands of people" turned out. But reporters on the scene estimated that in that location were tens of thousands of people at the rally.

"We will WIN!" Trump said in a series of tweets Saturday afternoon.

Trump indicated Fri that he may stop by the rally, only he left the White House early on Saturday to go golfing. As the presidential motorcade headed out to Pennsylvania Avenue and did a circuit of Freedom Plaza, hundreds of Trump supporters lining both sides of the streets applauded, cheered, waved and whistled.

'Abuse of the dominion of police force':ane,000 ex-judges, attorneys slam Trump's fake claims of voter fraud

Before in the week D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Metropolitan Police Section said they were monitoring the events but would not provide a crowd gauge. Police released an advisory noting some roads volition be closed and parking will be restricted throughout downtown Washington and reminding the public that they are prohibited from carrying a firearm within ane,000 anxiety of any protest, including those who accept a curtained carry permit.

Meanwhile, 500 Trump supporters – nearly all maskless – converged Saturday in Delray Beach, Florida,  to insist the election was stolen and to encourage Trump to stay in power, no matter the results. The consequence was highlighted past a march and voice communication past provocateur Roger Stone – who was pardoned by Trump.

A calendar week ago Sat, later states spent days counting ballots, several news outlets projected Biden to exist the winner of the 2022 presidential ballot. USA TODAY has non establish whatever evidence of widespread voter fraud. Encounter more than beneath:

• Wisconsin:Republicans seek issues they can heighten in a recount, but no major problems have surfaced
• Fact check:Rule voting machines didn't delete votes from Trump, switch them to Biden
• Fact check:Partly false claim about discarded ballots in Pennsylvania amplified by Eric Trump
• Fact check:No evidence that 14,000 expressionless people bandage ballots in Wayne County, Michigan
• Fact cheque:Arizona election departments ostend Sharpies can be used on ballots
• Fact cheque:False claim that viral video shows Trump ballots existence burned

Contributing: The Associated Press

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Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/14/trump-rally-washington-dc-million-maga-march-updates/6283411002/