FOUR PEOPLE WERE stabbed and one shot as rallies backing President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud led to clashes in major US cities yesterday.
Scuffles broke out in many places between rally-goers and counter-protesters who turned up to criticise the president, who lost last month’s presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden but is yet to concede.
Washington State Police said in a tweet late last night that a shooting had taken place after clashes near the capitol building in Olympia, and that a suspect had been detained.
In the US capital, DC Fire and EMS Department communications chief Doug Buchanan told AFP that four people had been stabbed and were now hospitalised “with serious injuries.”
The New York Times reported that 23 had been arrested throughout the day.
There was no indication of whether any of the victims had been involved in the protests, on either side of the divide.
The day had begun with a festive atmosphere as thousands of red-hatted protesters filled Washington’s streets to support the president, undeterred by the US Supreme Court’s rejection on Friday of what may have been his last chance to overturn the results.
Similar events took place in Olympia, Atlanta and St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as in smaller towns in Nebraska, Alabama and elsewhere.
Demonstrators at the DC rally – noticeably smaller than a similar protest last month – said they were steadfast in their support for the embattled president.
“We’re not gonna give up,” said Luke Wilson, a protester in his 60s.
Every state has now certified the poll results, giving Biden 306 votes in the Electoral College to Trump’s 232. Electors are to formally cast their votes Monday.
But protesters insisted, as Trump has repeatedly said, that there was widespread fraud in the election.
Those who addressed the crowd included Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser who was recently pardoned by the president after admitting that he lied to the FBI over alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump tweeted early yesterday: “Wow! Thousands of people forming in Washington (D.C.) for Stop the Steal.”
“Didn’t know about this, but I’ll be seeing them!”
Not long afterward, his helicopter lifted off from the White House grounds and passed over the crowd – many singing the US national anthem – as Trump headed to New York to attend the annual Army-Navy football game.
Nearby, supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement held a small rally, chanting “Nazis out!”
Police, some in riot gear, worked to keep the groups apart. There was also at least one clash between police and counter-protesters
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