Nov. 14 (UPI) — President Donald Trump’s supporters marched in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to protest the election results that government security and elections officials have called the “most secure” in U.S. history.
Trump’s motorcade did a lap around Freedom Plaza, where the the demonstrators gathered to start the event before marching to the Supreme Court. He waved from his car window as supported cheered for him, The Washington Post reported. While his supporters remained at the D.C. rally, Trump was headed to play golf at Trump National in Virginia’s suburbs.
The National Park Service gave Women for America First a permit for its participation, which said the rally included music, dancing and speakers, NBC Washington reported.
Conspiracy theorist and radio talk show host Alex Jones was among the rally’s speakers, WTOP-TV reported.
Other pro-Trump groups such as Million MAGA March, March for Trump and Stop the Steal DC were also slated to attend the rally.
Attendees and speakers made false allegations of widespread election fraud, a claim disputed by a coalition of government security and elections officials earlier this week.
The protesters marched from Freedom Plaza to the Supreme Court to contest the results where police have maintained peace despite tensions, WTOP reported.
Trump supporters told WTOP they want a “total recount.”
Some of the flags and slogans in the crowd included “Trump 2020” and “MAGA Country.”
The capital city has a mandate on face coverings, but observers saw only a few wearing masks among those gathered in the nation’s capital. The Washington Post said thousands participated in the event, though the Trump administration claimed a much higher number.
Counterprotesters also attended the demonstration.
One small opposition group held orange “Refuse Fascism” posters, and Trump fans shouting “USA! USA!” surrounded them, the Post reported. The woman leading the smaller group shouted that Trump should leave since he was “illegitimate.”
A pro-Trump allegedly protester hit one of the counterprotesters with an orange poster he grabbed from her, the Post reported.
Another man in a red MAGA hat, waved a U.S. flag that was attached to a baseball bat.
Trump had signaled Friday that he may make an appearance, calling the event “heartwarming.”
The Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center defines as a hate group, promoted the rally on social media.
Airbnb told customers they canceled a reservation from an alleged Proud Boy member who had booked an Airbnb near the rally. The company banned the user from the platform.
“Anyone affiliated with hate groups has no place on Airbnb,” the company said on Twitter.
On Friday, dozens of Trump supporters in MAGA hats tore down photographs from a memorial near Lafayette Square honoring Black men and women killed by police, leading to an angry exchange with anti-Trump protesters before police dispersed the crowd.
Trump campaign advisor Jason Miller promoted the rally along with Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio; far-right commentator Nicholas Fuentes, who marched in the deadly Charlottesville, N.C., protest; and Jack Posobiec, who promoted the debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory that led to a shooting in 2016 at Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in the district.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city supported “peaceful First Amendment demonstrations,” but warned along with police, that D.C. doesn’t allow open carry of firearms.
“We see some folks that are communicating on social media suggesting that they’re going to bring firearms into our city,” D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said. “You cannot open carry in the District of Columbia, anywhere in the District of Columbia.”
Police also named more than 30 streets around the White House, U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court, that will be closed Saturday in a statement on the demonstrations.
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