Increasingly normal: Guns seen outside vote-counting centers

The most turbulent and norm-breaking presidential election of an eternity has led to a fantastic spectacle in america over the past three days: armed protesters gathering nightly outside offices where local workers are counting the votes which will decide who wins the White House.

Some carry shotguns. Some have handguns. Often, they carry black, military-style semiautomatic rifles.

The protesters with weapons are a little minority of the demonstrators. There were no reports of anyone getting shot, and the laws in Arizona, Nevada and Michigan - where guns have been seen outside vote-tabulation centers in recent days - allow persons to openly carry firearms in public areas.

However in a nation increasingly inured to weapons at rallies -- frequently carried by right-wing demonstrators, though also sometimes by left-wing protesters - authorities warn that the guns create a dangerous situation that may be viewed as intimidation or tip easily into violence.

“The more we see, the more people see it as a normal reaction - despite the fact that it’s not. There’s nothing normal about it," said Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a professor at American University who studies extremism. “The prospect of violence becomes normalized."

The armed protesters have demonstrated up at the vote-counting centers in response to groundless accusations from President Donald Trump that the Democrats want to steal the election. No serious irregularities have already been reported.

Elections officials in a number of states where Democrat Joe Biden was ahead said the anger outside their doors made them fear for the safety of their workers.

Those carrying weapons insist they are keeping the peace.

“I’m here to safeguard a tranquil protest,” said Keith Owen, who carried a black, semiautomatic assault rifle and wore a handgun in a holster strapped to his leg. His vest held extra ammunition. He described himself as a veteran who served in Afghanistan and today lives in Arizona.

He was among roughly 100 Trump supporters gathered for a third straight day Friday before the Phoenix elections center, where a huge selection of workers were processing and counting ballots.

“Arrest the poll workers!” the crowd chanted, demanding four more years in office for Trump. Sheriff’s deputies kept protesters in a “free speech” zone from the access to the building.

In Detroit, a large number of Trump supporters returned to the streets Friday beyond your city’s convention center, where election staff counted ballots.

“Stop the steal!” the protesters chanted. Some carried signs that read, “Make Elections Fair Again” and “We Love Trump.” Police cordoned off streets resulting in the building and maintained a close watch on the protest.

The county treasurer in Detroit, Eric Sabree, said he previously closed his office due to threats. In a statement, Sabree said your choice was made “in the interest of the safety of taxpayers and our staff” and due to “credible information” from the sheriff’s office.

In October, Michigan’s secretary of state tried to ban the open carrying of weapons near polling stations and vote-tallying centers, but the order is tangled up in court.

“Michigan voters have the proper to vote personally on Election Day free from threat and intimidation,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement when the order was announced. “An armed occurrence at the polls is inconsistent with our notion of a free of charge democracy.”

About 100 persons gathered Friday at a vote-tabulation center in Las Vegas for a pro-Trump demonstration, with at least two men in fatigues seen carrying rifles that hung from band. At least 20 uniformed officers standing local watched the demonstrators.

In Philadelphia, two men with handguns were arrested Thursday night near to the convention center where in fact the vote-counting was going on.

The men, ages 42 and 61, had driven up in a Hummer from Virginia and did not have permits to transport the weapons in Pennsylvania, police said. A military-style rifle and ammunition were found of their vehicle, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. The car had a window sticker for the right-wing conspiracy theory QAnon.

District Attorney Larry Krasner did not say why the men had come to Philadelphia but said there have been no indications they were part of an extremist group.

Weapons have become an extremely common sight over the past year across the U.S., amid widespread protests for racial justice and anger over coronavirus restrictions. Armed demonstrators have protested COVID-19 lockdowns at the state capitols of Wisconsin and Minnesota and outside smaller businesses in Texas. Groups of armed men walked repeatedly through downtown Raleigh, NEW YORK, insisting they were just out for exercise.

In Michigan, armed demonstrators angry about COVID-19 restrictions went in to the state Capitol building earlier this season, standing in the Senate gallery and looking down on lawmakers.

Miller-Idriss said the protesters often see themselves as heroes “called to action in a moral way, to react against tyranny, against traitors.”