Thread by @ambiej

Back at the Philly convention center, where it’s celebration vibes this morning. “it’s time for this administration to surrender for democracy” declared a speaker at the count every votes protest. “if you come for Philadelphia, we’ll come for YOU”

also people are SO quick, this gritty game of thrones meme is like HOURS old

it is 11:30am and Philly is absolutely vibing

lots of rainbow flags out this morning in Philly

steps away from the dance party a band is also playing outside the Philly convention center

lmao Philly is now dancing to the Trump 2020 campaign theme song YMCA

if anyone in Philly is having a party/celebration/dance party that’s NOT the one outside the convention center today please DM and invite me (serious request!)

a man with a penny farthing and a biden/harris badge has just arrived at the Philly convention center party

Woman on the mic right now outside Philly convention center: “from the United States of Philadelphia we have one thing to say: Donald Trump you about to lose your job”

Philly’s count every vote rally now dancing to Beyoncé’s Run the World (Girls), including a woman with a cat in a backpack

Zoe Fox and her toddler daughter Lili are handing out flowers. “philly is tough,” she told me. “no one fights philly. philly fights back. you wanna mess with us? we’re gonna get the whole city on the streets: toddlers, dogs, flowers, whatever we’ve got: we’re gonna bring it out.”

Fox, like others I’m talking to, are sure Biden will win but want to make sure every vote is counted. “all those little weenies across the street can cry about it all day,” she said, referring the nearby small Trump rally. “we’re going to keep counting.”

Elmo and a drum line have arrived to the Philly convention center party

kids (like actual children!!!) rapping outside the Philly convention center

activist aiko dorr-dorynek said he’s not celebrating a Biden win yet. “everything that’s going on the news in Pennsylvania, Nevada and everywhere else around the country looks wonderful,” he said. “but until i hear a definite, i don’t feel like i can do anything.”

Philly convention center vibing to a WAP remix

“what’s at stake here is day one USA stuff,” rich abdill, 31, told me at the count the votes rally. “the only reason the government is legitimate is because it has consent of the people and if you won’t count the people’s vote, you don’t get to live in the people’s house.”
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rich also noted “this isn’t a pro biden rally or a pro democrats rally, it’s a pro democracy rally” — organizers have also repeated this and while there is *some* biden signage, there’s a LOT more signs about counting every vote.

i asked rich why he thinks philly is out dancing to protect the vote. “fights like this aren’t new to philadelphia,” he told me. “this is something we’ve been doing for 250 years and if it means staying out here for another month, people won’t blink.”

(i hope it’s not a month)

gritty hates fascism!

everyone here wants to talk about US history and i love it. Eric Knight told me he’s out here because “a lot of people sacrificed so we could have the right to vote today,” noting it was the 100 year anniversary of women getting the right to vote.

“philly has always been a mecca for music and expression,” said eric. “but you also have to keep in mind philadelphia was the place back in the 18th c where representatives came to discuss issues they had with the dec. of independence, eventually that formed the constitution.”

eric, a 65-year-old park ranger, said he’s hopeful trump has lost. “we’re pulling for biden and kamala harris but even if they don’t win, we as citizens have to initiate change where we are,” he said. “it starts with the people and goes up to the top.”

and some backstreet boys for you since everyone seems to be wild for the philly convention center dancing videos

had a little break and now back at the Philly convention center and the trump side has GREATLY improved its speaker system

Trump rally is still just a few dozen people (hundreds on the count every vote side)

Philly police have these dueling protests divided with metal barriers and also their bikes used as a physical barrier. only reporters with ID allowed in the middle, which is about 12ft wide. not really any interaction between the two minus just... staring and filming each other

cause it’s 2020 we have roller skates at the count every vote party

back to dancing in the street outside the Philly convention center

95% of the vote counted and Biden ahead by 0.25% and the crowd at the count every vote protest is chanting “i believe that we will win”

speaker at the count every vote rally right now encouraging every attendee to stay masked and get a covid test this week

unfortunately i must report the jake tapper thirst had made it to the count every vote party in philly

cause it’s Philly we have an eagle out here dancing tonight

the unicorn i cannot explain

gritty and the eagle are now dancing together because Philly

Keisha Usher-Martin brought her son Chase, 9, cause after several BLM protests she wanted to show him joy in protest too. “we had a lot of conversations about slavery and the history of this country. this is just a little glimpse of hope of how we’re going to continue fighting.”

“i wanted him to see how many people are celebrating the potential of having a new president and, not eradicate the issues we have such as racism and homophobia, but it’s a starting place. to see all these different people coming together and celebrating,” keisha told me.

i asked keisha how she felt about how it now seems very very likely Biden will be the next president. she paused then said “it’s just a change in not feeling so overburdened.”

some of my fave little moments this eve outside the Philly convention center

every time this protest party plays Ain’t No Mountain High Enough people lose it

and for the first time i’ve seen in two days of this count the votes party — where organizers proudly talk about not being aligned with a party but pro democracy — the DJ played FDT by YG and well... everyone cut loose

the official count the votes rally ended and the last few at the Trump protest across the road left and police are literally rolling out. Elmo and the Positive Movement drumline have reappeared tho!

i’m signing off for the night but if you’re wondering how Philly is going after nearly 12 hours straight of dancing in the street, the crowd is leaving the Philly convention center by ... dancing its way home