In Washington Saturday, November 14, protesters filled the streets in Freedom Plaza, just across the street from the White House and the Trump International Hotel. Thousands gathered for events organized under various names including "March for Trump" organized by Women for America First, “Million MAGA March,” and “Stop the Steal.”
People flew into Washington from all around the country (only 5 percent of Washingtonians voted for Trump, compared to 92 percent for Biden), at a time when health experts are urging Americans to stay at home and cancel holiday plans. Many flooded into local hotels, restaurants and public transportation, often ignoring mask guidelines.
The rally happened as the U.S. surpassed 10.8 million cases of COVID-19 and 245,000 deaths, and states continue to break daily records. An influential Covid-19 model projects the US death toll may reach 439,000 by March 1.
Cindy Chafian of the aforementioned “Women for America First” spoke to the crowd, seeming to mock Washington’s COVID-19 guidelines. “Wear a mask, unless you’re with family – “Hello, family,” she said, to laughter.
During the rally, enthusiastic Trump supporters delivered a series of fiery speeches from Freedom Plaza repeating Trump's unfounded claim of widespread election fraud and that Trump actually won. Some talked of more specific ways to stop Biden from becoming president, including legal challenges, election audits and urging states to appoint pro-Trump electors who would defy the popular vote results in their states.
Attendees included anti-government groups such as the Oath Keepers, far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters, conspiracy theorists such as Alex Jones and Republican members of Congress.
The Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and a group which Trump declined to denounce during the first presidential debate, endorsed the events. Neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin, one of the organizers of the deadly Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally in 2017, also promoted the march, among other far-right figures.
(Lauren Egan and Alicia Victoria Lozano. “At least 20 arrested as pro- and anti-Trump protesters clash in Washington.” NBC News. November 15, 2020.)
The "Million MAGA March" component announced its notable attendees would include conspiracy theorists and others like podcaster Nick Fuentes, who participated in the deadly 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally, and Mike Cernovich, who pushed the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory. Pizzagate, a debunked conspiracy theory that went viral during the 2016 election cycle is a predecessor to the Qanon conspiracy theory. Pizzagate has received a resurgence in 2020, an election year, mainly due to QAnon.
Oren Segal, vice president of the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said he expected the vast majority of participants to be there solely to show their support to Trump, but the event was an opportunity for extremists to be mingling with that demographic.
(Julia Jones and Sara Sidner. “MAGA March brings together Trump voters, far-right leaders and counterprotesters, ending in some clashes.” CNN. November 15, 2020.)
Just as misinformation about the elections made its way from fringe platforms into the Twitter feeds of the President's inner circle, Segal feared the Saturday march could have been its physical manifestation, spreading not only wrong information but hateful, extremist rhetoric. Segal says …
"The fact that this sort of space is attracting those who buy into this idea that something is being stolen and taken away, and that extremists may be adjacent to them is a concern more broadly of the normalization of the extremists and of what could happen when you get a bunch of people together who are upset."
Of course, the rallies have also received support from Trump, who tweeted on Friday, November 13, that it was "heartwarming to see all of the tremendous support out there" and he "may even try to stop by and say hello."
And, shortly after 10 a.m. on the 14th, Trump – while on his way to a nearby golf course in northern Virginia when he reportedly intentionally chose the route – rode past demonstrators in his motorcade and waved to supporters who held out signs reading "Best prez ever" and "Stop the steal."
Later, Trump retweeted images and videos of the sea of Trump supporters and reiterated that he has no intention of conceding any time soon.
"Hundreds of thousands of people showing their support in D.C.," Trump wrote. "They will not stand for a Rigged and Corrupt Election!" (Reporters on the scene estimated that there were tens of thousands of people at the rally.)
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted photos of the gathering, claiming that more than a "million" Trump supporters were in attendance, despite photos showing a much different version.
As clashes broke out in the evening, Trump blamed “Antifa scum” for the violence and criticised Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, for “not doing her job.”
(James Politi. “Trump supporters descend on Washington to protest poll result.” Financial Times. November 15, 2020.)
Admittedly, Trump supporters – Republicans, Proud Boys, Three Percenters, conspiracy theorists, and others – have the right to protest. Their resistance to wearing masks while doing so is extremely troubling. And, at the same time, Trump officials are ordering agencies not to assist in the transition, even as members of Congress from the president’s party, as well as his own former chief of staff, call for Biden to be given access to crucial intelligence briefings and key resources.
Now, Trump for the first time Sunday morning acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden’s victory while falsely blaming his loss on a string of conspiracy theories. A sore loser, Trump tweeted Sunday morning …
“He (Biden) won because the Election was Rigged. NO VOTE WATCHERS OR OBSERVERS allowed, vote tabulated by a Radical Left privately owned company, Dominion, with a bad reputation & bum equipment that couldn’t even qualify for Texas (which I won by a lot!), the Fake & Silent Media, & more!”
(Sarah Westwood. “President Trump acknowledges for the first time that Joe Biden won the election.” CNN. November 15, 2020.)
Although Trump and his supporters may deny it, there is a growing sense of a fight losing its energy and that – like it or not – these supporters will see President-elect Joe Biden in the White House in January. Period.
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