Supporters of President Trump are planning rallies in Washington next month after he tweeted over the weekend about a “big protest in D.C.” that “will be wild” when Congress reconvenes Jan. 6.
The tweet linked to an article about a report produced by Peter Navarro, director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, about voting irregularities. Mr. Trump said the report proves it was “[s]tatistically impossible” that he lost the election.
Organizers of the Million MAGA March appear to have taken it as a direct communication from Mr. Trump, tweeting Sunday that the march has his “support” and they are coming “at the request of the president.”
Pro-Trump rallies over the last two months have drawn thousands to Washington in support of the president’s claims of widespread election fraud. Mr. Trump has briefly greeted fans from a motorcade and Marine One during the events.
The march is set to begin at noon in the National Mall, according to social media posts, which claim it will be the “biggest Trump rally in history.”
The National Park Service has received permit requests for Jan. 6 from two organizations seeking to host “First Amendment” demonstrations.
A group named The Silent Majority is seeking permission for up to 500 people to march on the mall’s gravel areas from 7th Street to the south side of the U.S. Capitol Building. It is not clear if the group is connected to the Million MAGA March.
The conservative group Women for America First initially had planned a March for Trump on Inauguration Day but recently changed the date to Jan. 6, according to Mike Litterst, director of communications for the National Park Service.
The organization is requesting use of Freedom Plaza and the Lincoln Memorial for up to 5,000 people. If approved, the event would be the third of its kind in as many months, and the last stop on the group’s pro-Trump rally tour across America beginning Dec. 27.
Previous Trump rallies have turned violent at times, with clashes between march participants and counterprotesters.
At least four people were stabbed and multiple arrests were made at the most recent rallies during the weekend of Dec. 12.
The Metropolitan Police Department also is investigating “potential hate crimes” linked to videos from the weekend posted to social media that showed people burning Black Lives Matter banners in front of Black churches.
Outgoing police Chief Peter Newsham was questioned about “perceptions” that the Proud Boys, a far-right group, were treated “favorably” by police during those rallies. The chief said it was not the department’s “intention” to treat anyone differently, and that it is “difficult to determine who’s on what side” when a confrontation occurs.
Chief Robert J. Contee III is to begin leading the MPD on Jan. 2. He said Monday that “we want to see peaceful protests in our city.”
“Our police officers, they will work to separate individuals where they can when skirmishes do take place, and when there are crimes committed in our presence — we’ll take action,” Chief Contee said. “We’re not asking who you’re representing, ya know, what side of the team you’re on, we’re looking for people that are engaged in acts of violence and those are the individuals we plan to arrest if the need arises.”
The department has closed several streets and put parking restrictions in place during the previous demonstrations, and Chief Contee said he expects “similar” measures will be taken.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.