While street parties sprung up across the nation in celebration of the presidential election being called in favor of Joe Biden on Saturday, Trump supporters are mostly hanging on to the president’s false claims that he was robbed.
Using similar false arguments as Trump and his surrogates, the president’s distraught die-hard supporters expressed their displeasure with news organizations’ decision to use math and report the reality that Joe Biden did indeed win the 2020 presidential election.
“It’s all fixed. There’s so much corruption going on in the vote count,” Wisconsin Trump supporter Randy Tovichi, told CNN.
Another Trump supporter, Dennis Tippie from Pennsylvania, told the New York Times that watching the president’s early lead dissipate points towards fraud.
“If [Biden] does end up with that number of electoral votes he would have gained them through fraud, deception and simple criminality,” Tippie said. There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Another Trump supporter from Pennsylvania, Jessica Bell, told the Times that she’s glued to the news day and night and is ready for civil unrest.
“I have my TV on the news 24/7,’’ Bell said. “I have my phone in my hand keeping up with social media. I’ve gotten about six hours of sleep since Monday. I’ve been watching very, very closely… We are locked and loaded.”
Bell falsely claimed that “Americans are being silenced” and referred to Trump’s loss as a “coup.”
Trump supporters are being encouraged to protest at state capitals by a group called “Stop the Steal.” According to USA Today, the group that has been banned from Facebook for “spreading misinformation and inciting violence.”
The AP is reporting much of the same. Crowds at capitols across the country on Saturday are in denial about Trump’s defeat. “This isn’t over! This isn’t over!” and “Fake news!” chants could be heard from an estimated 1,000 Trump supporters in Atlanta, Georgia.
One demonstrator, Jordan Kelley, who drove over three hours from Tennessee to Georgia for the event, also echoed the president’s false claims that the election was rigged.
“There’s election fraud going on here,” Kelley said, adding, “Even though I live in Tennessee, I’m an American, and I want to make sure Americans have a voice in the election.”
The AP also reported on clashes between Trump supporters and Black Lives Matters demonstrators in some spots and said that two dozen Trump supporters attended a rally in Pennsylvania while heavily armed and wearing camouflage.
Trump and his minions are sowing the seeds of violence on an unprecedented level. As USA Today pointed out, the think tank International Crisis Group, whose mission is to “sound the alarm to prevent deadly conflict” around the world, has for the first time put its focus on the US.
“The 2020 U.S. presidential election presents risks not seen in recent history. It is conceivable that violence could erupt during voting or protracted ballot counts. Officials should take extra precautions,” the organization warned.
From Rolling Stone US
