Michael Moline
The chants, the hymns, and the placards persuaded exactly zero Donald Trump Electoral College delegates to vote for anyone else in Tallahassee Monday.
Even so, organizers of a protest in the rotunda of Florida’s Capitol considered their efforts a success.
“Two-hundred and fifty people came out,” said Maxwell Frost, of Democracy Spring in Orlando. “We did what we came here to do. We made a point and we connnected people. We have a network across the state. We will continue to fight for progressive values and equality.”
The organization staged a mass sit-in at the Democratic National Convention last summer that resulted in hundreds of arrests, but none were reported Monday, according to a Capitol Police spokeswoman.
Activists began streaming into the Capitol hours before the electors — party loyalists all — gathered at 2 p.m. By the appointed hour, hundreds filled the rotunda, many hoisting hand-drawn signs.
“Alexander Hamilton wanted to protect me from demagogues,” read one held by a pony-tailed girl. “Not my president,” read another. “Trump is too Rusky,” a third said.
Organizers deployed techniques honed at the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, including “mic checks” — in which the crowd repeats a speaker’s statements so people can hear in the back of a crowd — and the use of finger snaps to signify applause.
“A foreign government interfered with our election,” David Caicebo, of the Florida Student Power Network, told the crowd at one point. “That’s a horrible thing.”
“We need a leader who knows what he or she is doing,” Frost said.
They sang “We Shall Overcome” and “Amazing Grace.”
Three uniformed Capitol police officers stood between the protesters and the doors to the Senate chamber as the electors gathered inside. “Vote your conscience!” protesters, observing the proceedings on TV monitors, chanted as aides passed out ballots — one each for president and vice president.
“God save us all from Pence!” someone shouted. “Flip the vote!” the protesters chanted.
“Get off your phone!” others exclaimed as the monitors showed an elector taking pictures inside with his smartphone.
When Secretary of State Ken Detzner read out the results, there arose cries of “Shame! Shame!” and “Not my president!”
