Speculation about rioting and predictions of public unrest failed to come to fruition during Election Day 2020 or into the evening as crowds waited with “bated breath” for election returns.
Downtown businesses, in preparation for the “worst,” had already boarded up windows and a “non-scalable” fence had been set up surrounding the White House. In addition, polling locations throughout the DMV were protected by law enforcement to keep voters safe.
But here in the District, we illustrated to the nation and to the world that we can protest without the need to destroy property or cause injuries and death. And officers for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) wisely exercised restraint and prudence in maintaining the peace and engaging with zealous demonstrators.
Several hundred protestors gathered near the White House at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Northwest on Nov. 3 where they remained until several hours after midnight, anxiously awaiting who would be the next president of the U.S.
And while police said three people were arrested during two separate incidents, each for committing relatively minor infractions, it remained an uneventful night in downtown Washington, D.C.
However, early Wednesday morning, MPD reported that a woman and three men had been stabbed blocks from the White House following the election night demonstrations. The victims, allegedly members of a far-right group which supports President Donald Trump, the Proud Boys, claimed the assailants were part of Black Lives Matter protests – allegations that we could not confirmed as no arrests have been made.
Sure, a few smoke bombs were ignited, a couple of firecrackers were set off and some pushing and shoving occurred among the crowd during the night.
We can live with that.