Protests in Several US Cities as Presidential Vote Remains Undecided
Protesters turned out in multiple U.S. cities Wednesday to call for a complete count of presidential election votes, while smaller pro-Trump groups rallied outside vote-counting centers in Michigan and Arizona.
Police in New York arrested dozens of people Wednesday night after what had been peaceful demonstrations. Officials say a small group of people “attempted to hijack” the protest by setting trash fires and clashing with officers.
Protesters also marched in Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and San Diego. In addition to calling for the votes to be counted, the demonstrators also highlighted racial inequality, the subject of numerous protests throughout the United States this year.
In the northwest state of Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown activated the National Guard as police in Portland declared protests there a riot and made arrests. In Oregon, a riot is defined as six or more people engaging in “tumultuous and violent conduct” that creates “a grave risk of causing public alarm.” The city has been the site of near-nightly protests against racial injustice, and police making riot declarations is not uncommon.
Supporters of President Donald Trump went to a vote-counting site in Detroit, Michigan, to demand a halt to the count. Those at a later rally in Phoenix, Arizona, chanted, “Stop the steal.”
The various demonstrations came as the result of Tuesday’s election remained unclear, and the president made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud while Republicans filed multiple election lawsuits.
