A $46 million parade, the first in Washington DC in more than 30 years, unfolded against a backdrop of protests and political violence

Washington DC was locked down and the capital’s airspace closed to flights as 6,500 troops marched down Constitution Avenue and helicopters flew overhead, fulfilling a long-standing ambition of Trump to stage a military parade — the first held in the American capital in more than 30 years.

Organisers for Saturday’s parade said they were expecting “hundreds of thousands” to attend but images of empty seats in stands along the parade route suggested turnout may not have been as high as hoped. It is possible the poor weather kept many at home.

The celebrations came just hours after a Democratic politician and her husband were shot dead in their Minnesota home by a man believed to be impersonating a police officer. Threats against other politicians in Texas were made on a day of widespread unrest and protests against the Trump administration, timed to coincide with Saturday’s $46 million event.

  • Bob Robertson IX @discuss.tchncs.de
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    246
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    22 hours ago

    It is possible the poor weather kept many at home.

    Right. Because I’m going to buy a ticket to DC, rent a hotel room, tell my friends I’m going… and then not go because it’s raining.

    • grue@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      204
      ·
      edit-2
      22 hours ago

      Meanwhile, millions of people showed up to protests in DC and other places with equally rainy forecasts. But sure, news, blame the weather instead of the fascism.

      • jj4211@lemmy.world
        cake
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        46
        ·
        16 hours ago

        To be fair, that article was overall pretty plainly stating that the protests were overwhelmingly more well attended. Yes they had one line that raised the possibility of weather as a factor, but I think anyone but Trump could see the facts as presented in the story telling the real story.

        Also went out of their way to characterize the protests as peaceful and the only politicians under violent threat were Democrats, despite the magnitude of protests.