NATIONWIDE, people took to the streets in celebration of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 elections, after he reached the 270 vote minimum to beat President Donald Trump.
Pennsylvania was called for Biden by the Associated Press at around 11:30 a.m. EST, and the response immediately after was swift.
“I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not,” Biden tweeted shortly after his win was confirmed.
“I will keep the faith that you have placed in me.”
Cheers and car horns honking were heard throughout the streets of America’s major metropolitan cities, including New York City, Los Angeles and Philadelphia — which was crucial in clinching the Biden win. Some even busted out bubbly beverages outside.
“The anger and the pain that we’ve all felt every time that you got a news notification in the past four years it’s so much hope that that is coming to an end,” said Arlington, Va. resident JC Cheng, 32, as a car passed playing the anti-Trump song “FDT” by YG.
At least hundreds have gathered outside of the White House in Washington, D.C., holding up Biden campaign signs.
On Twitter, people shared reactions live on the street — while many others recorded from the comfort of their own homes, where the din of celebration could be heard far outside.
Associated Press reports that as soon as the news buzzed on their phones, Americans gathered spontaneously on street corners and front lawns – honking their horns, banging pots and pans, starting impromptu dance parties – as an agonizingly vitriolic election and exhausting four-day wait for results came to an end Saturday morning.
Just after The Associated Press and other news organizations declared that Biden beat President Trump, fireworks erupted in Atlanta.
In Maine, a band playing at a farmers’ market broke into the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Neighbours ran out of their homes in Manhattan and assembled into an unplanned street party, whooping, dancing and high-fiving strangers. In Louisville, Kentucky, BIden supporters gathered on their lawns to toast with champagne. In Harlem, they danced in the streets, banged cowbells and honked their car horns.
Trump’s supporters have for days been protesting outside of ballot-counting operations, alleging without evidence that the slow-moving results were proof of cheating. But on Saturday morning, it was the Democrats taking to the streets in jubilant displays, celebrating what was for them an end to four years of constant crises, chaos and anxiety.
“It’s surreal, I feel like I’m free from the clutches of evil,” said Lola Faleit, a 26-year-old human resources manager in New York City. “I feel less worried for my immigrant friends. In 2016, we woke up crying. Today we are celebrating. Look, the sky is clear blue, the sun is out, Mother Nature is celebrating, too.”
Nov. 7 at 11:25 a.m., became for many of Biden’s supports a moment of such historic magnitude they suspect they will always remember what they were doing, even those in the midst of the most mundane weekend activities.
Retired teacher and school principal Kay Nicholas, 73, was vacuuming in her home northwest of Detroit when she heard Biden had been declared the winner.
“All I could say is ‘thank God,'” she said, choking up. “It has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican. It has to do with decency. This country has got integrity and hopefully we can get decency. I think Joe Biden can do it and bring back kindness.”
(SOURCE: AGENCIES)
