Protests and celebrations erupt across the country after Biden secures the presidency
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CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Thousands of people gathered across the country to celebrate and protest the election of Joe Biden as the 46th president and Sen. Kamala Harris as the first female, first Black, and first Asian American vice president.
Following the announcement, supporters of the Biden-Harris ticket gathered outside of the White House and across the country to celebrate the win.
“I’m looking forward to seeing things change. My parents were those that had to fight for the right to vote, and I’m glad, they would be screaming with me right now if they weren’t passed away. This is hard-fought and it’s the way democracy is supposed to be, and I’m glad to land on the right side of the way things are supposed to be,” Denita Gardner Walker said.
Biden supporters were seen across social media cheering, dancing, and marching with an assortment of LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, and election signage.
Biden secured the presidency Saturday with 290 electoral votes to President Donald Trump’s 214 electoral votes as of AP’s latest race call.
Trump supporters also gathered across U.S. to protest the election results.
In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the state that put Biden over the 270 Electoral College votes he needed for victory, about 100 pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” protesters demonstrated in front of the State Capitol building, facing off against about the same number of Biden supporters.
Hundreds of Trump supporters gathered on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Saturday, waving Trump-Pence flags to shouts of “This is not over” and “We will be here forever.”
“I don’t believe the race is over as yet. I think there’s some shenanigans going on,” said Paul Petrillo, a general contractor from Yardley, Pennsylvania, who believes the Supreme Court should intervene. “We’ll see what happens.”
Trump supporters have been protesting for days outside of ballot-counting operations, alleging that the slow-moving results were proof of election fraud.
Trump has refused to concede or promise a peaceful transfer of power, and many Americans remained anxious about what will happen in the days and weeks ahead.
President-elect Biden is expected to address the nation from Wilmington, Delaware at 8 p.m. EST with Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff. NewsNation will livestream the event.
