Supporters of President Donald Trump held a “Stop the Steal” rally in front of the Georgia State Capitol on Saturday afternoon, objecting to election results that show Joe Biden won the U.S. presidential election over the incumbent.
A group of counterprotesters gathered nearby at Atlanta City Hall.
The protests came a day after Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger certified voting results following a hand recount that showed Biden won the state by 12,284 votes, among the thinnest margins in the country.
Trump had tried to delay Raffensberger, a fellow Republican, from certifying the results. Trump also criticized Raffensberger and Gov. Brian Kemp while promoting his claims that the election was stolen from him.
It’s still possible for Trump to request another recount in the close race.
The president tweeted a link on the Atlanta rally, with commentary on the election that prompted a Twitter disclaimer.
In addition to the protest at the Capitol, Trump supporters gathered at CNN Center in the morning for a protest with the hashtag #walkaway, headlined by some Black speakers and other young political commentators who advocated walking away from the Democratic Party.
Speakers at the rallies on Saturday included state Rep. Vernon Jones, a Democrat who supports President Donald Trump, and conservative activists Brandon Straka, Scott Presler and 16-year-old Chandler Crump.
Broadcasts of the rallies showed the crowd shouting “Stop the steal” and “We want justice” while waving Trump 2020 flags.
Police in riot gear lined up between protesters at the pro-Trump rally and counterprotesters, and some counterprotesters lined up holding their own shields. The Capitol rally lasted close to two hours, before coming to a close when police started clearing the roads at 2 p.m.
Some Trump supporters also rallied outside the Georgia Governor’s Mansion in Buckhead later on Saturday.
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