Trump supporters joined "Million MAGA March" in November

Posted December 2020

By Garon Jones

Staff Editor

Large swaths of Americans marched on Washington DC on Nov. 15 in support of President Donald Trump to protest supposed voter fraud in the recent presidential election.

Advertised as the “Million MAGA March” or “Stop the Steal,” the protests started at Freedom Plaza, where the crowd chanted “four more years,” a rallying cry for President Trump’s claim that he won the 2020 contest. Just over one week earlier, most media outlets projected the race to Joe Biden, securing enough electoral votes to become our nation’s 46th president. But Trump and his administration called foul, claiming multiple accounts of voter fraud in key swing states where Biden has comfortable leads. Trump’s team has mounted several legal battles, and the president himself has not conceded the race. Trump’s most ardent supporters have stood by, culminating in the MAGA March. Most of the crowd traveled from across the country to attend the event.

"We all need to show our president some support," Tracy Lavis, a protester traveling from Michigan said, explaining she took an overnight bus to get to D.C. for the rally. "He needs it. He needs us. He’s been wrung through the wringer since day one."

Not all Americans at the event shared Lavis’ sentiment. Jan Bisaga, a counter protester waving a sign reading “TRUMP IS OVER” argued that Biden won fairly, and Trump supporters are simply bitter about the President’s loss.

"I wanted to celebrate Biden’s great victory and to be honest, troll these Trump supporters," he said, laughing. "Them marching isn’t changing the outcome just like me being out here isn’t doing anything."

Several police officers—some dressed in riot gear—had to break up skirmishes between protesters and counter-protesters. Both groups screamed at one another through megaphones, and some dared others to come closer. Several hundred Trump supporters hollered, cheered and waved at the president in his motorcade as he made his way through Freedom Plaza on a detour to greet his supporters. As a contrast to the daytime event, several incidents of violence broke out across the city come nightfall. According to the AP, at least 20 demonstrators had been arrested on a variety of charges, including assault and weapons possession. One stabbing was reported, two police officers were injured, and several firearms were recovered by police.