Published 16:56 IST, November 5th 2020
US Election 2020: Protesters rally in Boston calling for every vote to be counted
While the key states are still tallying ballots in the presidential race, hundreds of people in Boston demonstrated in a call for every vote to be counted.
While the key states are still tallying ballots in the presidential race, hundreds of people in Boston demonstrated in a call for every vote to be counted in the 2020 election. On November 4, the security across the state was tight and State Police had gathered near the convention centre in the Seaport. The protests were scheduled to demand the integrity of the election to be maintained and the American democracy be protected.
According to WCVB, the rally started in Nubian Square, which is located in Boston’s Roxbury neighbourhood. The demonstrations were organised by several groups and the rally was called “Don’t let Trump Steal the Election”. While some protesters were seen carrying signs that read “Count Every Vote,” others were seen wither with pro-Biden or anti-Trump signs.
Protests to ‘defend democracy’
As the balance of power in the country remains uncertain and as does the process of completing the election, the protesters planned to march to “defend democracy”. While speaking to the media outlet, Carol Rose, who is the executive director of the ACLU Massachusetts, said that one this is clear that the election is not over until every vote is counted. She added that the voters decide the winner of an election, not the president.
The rally came after US President Donald Trump seemed to falsely suggest that he had control over the ongoing counts in several swing states. While taking to Twitter, Trump campaign, which is claimed "for Electoral Vote purposes,” Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina; said "a state does not affect the vote count", which is run by state officials. Senator Ed Markey, who also attended the rally, said that he is going to stand up and going to use every single avenue to stop him (Trump) in his attempts to “steal the election”.
The protesters came out to the rally because they wanted to ensure their children have a good future and to make sure all American have their voices counted. Boston’s even was one of the hundreds slated to happen nation-wide organised by Protect the Results, a coalition of groups formed to protect the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Meanwhile, protests also broke out in several other states, including New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington and DC. Thousands of Biden demonstrators flooded the streets of New York against the Trump supporters that decried election fraud as they protested in the key state of Michigan. MAGA supporters, on the other hand, mobilized across different cities as they started hashtag #StopTheSteal on social media and assembled near Detroit’s downtown TCF convention centre as guards attempted to block them at the door so the counting could continue. According to reports, several protesters have also been arrested. Around ten demonstrators in Portland and nearly 50 in NY have been detained.
Key states still counting votes
Some states are still left to be called by US media, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada and Alaska. Trump has accused the authorities of ‘secretly dumping ballots’ and falsely claimed victory in Michigan. The US President has repeatedly sown mistrust among Americans regarding the integrity of the states in counting the votes. Trump who has already termed the November 3 election as “embarrassment” and “major fraud”, has sued Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia while demanding a recount in Wisconsin.
Updated 17:01 IST, November 5th 2020