Hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump gathered at the Minnesota Capitol and the governor’s residence in St. Paul on Wednesday to protest against the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.
The demonstrations remained mostly peaceful, heavy on speeches and chants in opposition to both the outcome of the presidential election and the emergency measures implemented in Minnesota to stop the spread of COVID-19. Few people in the crowd of up to 500 wore masks as Congress began the process of certifying Biden’s win.
There were loud cheers when the crowd learned that pro-Trump extremists in Washington had breached the U.S. Capitol complex. And there were boos for Vice President Mike Pence, who has defied Trump by saying he doesn't have the authority to reject the electoral votes that make Biden president.
Minnesota state troopers are guarding the state Capitol complex, which has been fenced off since last summer's unrest after the death of George Floyd, but there were no immediate reports of any clashes.
