Crowds at Washington D.C.’s Million MAGA March on November 14, 2020; crowds (top) at Freedom Plaza. taken by Cronkite News’ Chase Hunter
A Metropolitan Police officer stands between pro-Trump protesters and counter protesters outside the Supreme Court on Saturday. (Photo by Chase Hunter/Cronkite News)
by Jo Freeman
Around twenty thousand people came to Washington, D.C. to proclaim their love for Donald J. Trump on Saturday, November 14. Called the ‘Million MAGA March‘, the numbers were nowhere near a million, but were higher than all the DC Biden/Harris protestors and partyers put together over the five days between the election and the media’s declaration that Biden had defeated Trump to be the 46th President.
A rally was called for noon at Freedom Plaza, to be followed by a march to the Supreme Court. The MPD blocked off 30 square blocks of streets, just as they had on election day. Around 10:00 a.m. a Trump caravan circled Freedom Plaza so he could see his supporters before going to Virginia to play golf. He should have stuck around for the speeches; they were everything he loves to hear.
I first went to BLM Plaza, just to check it out. I saw only a few Trumpsters, but the signs that had decorated the top of the fence on Friday – LOSER, YOUR FIRED, FAILURE – were gone, as were most of the BLM signs that had decorated the entire length of the fence. I had photographed them only a week before.
I had seen Trumpsters there on Friday who had come early from far away and were looking for something to do. They got into a few arguments with anti-Trumpers. (I hesitate to call them pro-Bidens because their feelings aren’t equivalent to the Trumpsters). Two dozen marched from BLM Plaza to the law firm of King Spaulding to post signs saying that the lawyers were violating their oath by representing Trump in lawsuits challenging the vote. Back on BLM Plaza several antis were dancing in the same space as the Trumpsters (not exactly with them), while a circle of cops watched closely.
Getting to Freedom Plaza required a roundabout walk, as the cops had blocked off the direct route. When I got there, it was packed with people, as were the surrounding streets – and it wasn’t noon yet. Listening to the speeches while walking around taking photos convinced me that this wasn’t a political gathering. It was a cult. The theme was different versions of “Thank God for Donald Trump.” He could do no wrong, including lose the election. If the media said more people and more states voted for Biden, then the election was being stolen.
It was photogenic. Flags flourished. T-shirts, hats and posters were plentiful. Many people wore costumes, or turned flags into capes. Only buttons were scarce. (As a button collector, I was looking to add a Trump button to my collection). Everyone was pleasant. When I asked people to pose for a photo, I only got two negative responses – one from a man in a Chicago Proud Boys t-shirt, and another from a woman wearing a Biden-Harris cap who was waving at the marchers from the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Ave.
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