Hundreds of protesters calling for Missouri Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley to resign gathered in front of the Old Courthouse in Downtown St. Louis on Saturday.
The protest was in response to Sen. Hawley's objection to President-elect Joe Biden's electoral college votes based on unfounded claims of voter fraud, which helped incite a Trump-supporting, extremist riot that breached the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, where five people died. A photo of Hawley shows him pumping his fist at protesters gathered outside the Capitol before the siege.
Protesters in Saint Louis held the street in front of the Old Courthouse for around two hours and painted "Resign Hawley" on South Broadway before the rally dispersed. Polaroid photos of the painted street were taken and mailed to the Missouri senator’s home in Virginia.
For some protesters, like teacher Janet Beltz who came with her granddaughter, this was their first time attending a protest. “This is first time I’ve ever done this”, Beltz said, ”This man should be charged with murder. How dare he."
Others in attendance, like Fred Johnson, a member of the Spanish Lake Township Democrats, have been involved with politics for some time. “It was like when I was in Vietnam; they overrode our position. They tried to take over our democracy. This is just the start of what they’re trying to do,” the Vietnam War veteran said.
