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Following the demonstrations, Trump supporters clashed with counter-protesters in many places, criticizing the president, who lost the Nov.3 election to Democrat Joe Biden but has so far not acknowledged defeat.
Washington State Police reported on a social network on Twitter Saturday night that a suspect was shot and killed after clashes near the state legislature in Olympia and that a suspect was arrested.
VIDEO: After winning the office of US President, Joe Biden addressed his compatriots, vowing to unite the divided country and fight COVID-19.
At the time, Doug Buchanan, a spokesman for the Washington Fire and Ambulance Department in the US capital, told AFP Hall that four people were being treated at the hospital for serious stab wounds. It is not yet clear whether any of the victims participated in the rallies or in retaliation.
The New York Times reported that a total of 23 people were arrested on Saturday.
The day began with joy, with thousands of protesters in red hats taking to the streets of Washington to support the president, although on Friday the Supreme Court of the United States ruled out what could have been his last chance to change the election results.
Similar events took place in Olympia, Atlanta, Georgia, and St. Pole, Minnesota, as well as smaller cities in Nebraska, Alabama, and elsewhere.
At the rally in the capital, the participants, who were fewer than during a similar protest last month, AFP said they strongly support the president. They had many explanations for the election results, although they have been approved by state election officials, including Republicans, and judges in several states important to the elections.
All states have already confirmed the results, which show that J. Biden got 306 votes and D. Trump – 232 votes in the Electoral College. Voters must officially cast their votes on Monday.
VIDEO: The unrest in the United States has started before the electoral votes have been counted: people have taken to the streets
But protesters, like Trump, claimed widespread fraud during the elections. Some have spoken of “foreign interference,” part of the software that has erased millions of votes cast for the president, but not for other Republican candidates on the same ballot.
Speakers at the rally included Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to D. Trump, who admitted to lying to the FBI about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US elections. The president recently declared his pardon to M. Flynn.
Stolen elections
Dozens of court cases involving allegations of fraud or disputed results have been resolved, virtually all in favor of Biden. Some judges also harshly criticized the lack of evidence.
But Trump, despite clear election results and American tradition, still refuses to admit defeat to Biden.
“Wow! Thousands of people are lining up in Washington … to stop the robbery, he wrote on Twitter early Saturday.” I didn’t know, but I’ll see you!
Soon after, his helicopter took off from the White House area and flew over the crowd, where many sang the United States anthem. Trump flew to New York to participate in the annual Army and Navy football team game.
Among the protesters were members of the right-wing group Proud Boys, who stood out in their traditional black and yellow clothing. They were often greeted by the crowd; some of them wore bulletproof vests.
Reuters / Photo by Scanpix / Members of the Proud Boys
A few blocks away, supporters of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement held their own, much smaller rally, chanting “Nazis, hold on!”
The police did not allow the groups to get close to each other. There was also at least one confrontation between police and counter-protesters.
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