They cried, banged on pots and shouted “Trump, it’s over!” in a concert of horns: New Yorkers let their joy and relief explode on Saturday to the announcement of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.
• Read also: Celebrations in several cities across the United States after Biden’s victory
The scenes of jubilation (in the hometown of the Republican president that a majority of New Yorkers have always repudiated) barely began the first alerts fell on the phones.
In the minutes that followed, the streets of Manhattan rang with screams and horns, residents stepped out onto the streets or onto their balconies, often banging on pots and pans, in scenes that recalled the tributes paid to caregivers during the first wave of coronavirus, in the spring.
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Spontaneously, under a radiant sun and near-high temperatures, thousands of people converged on strategic points, in Columbus Circle, on the edge of Central Park, in Times Square or in front of the Trump Tower, HQ of the Trump Organization on the 5th Avenue where Trump lived until he left for Washington in 2016.
“It’s been four years of suffering, he’s an odious man, really odious. I am so happy that he is leaving, even if now we will have to worry about all the people who voted for him, because they are still there, ”said Jacqueline Brown, 58, a university professor who came to biking join the crowds at Columbus Circle.
“I’m overwhelmed with joy,” said Bernie Jacobs, 84, who was having her bagels and coffee next to the Trump Tower.
“Every morning we come here and criticize Trump, it had been going on for four years, it was too much. We hated him from the day he came to power (…) He was a president of nothing at all, with an oversized ego and zero talent ”.
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“Finally, Biden won!” Exclaims JD Beebe, 35, owner of a small online business, walking up 2nd Avenue in applause. “I’m delighted, it’s really a very American moment, all those horns, these people on the balconies,” he said.
“I’m just happy that I don’t have to worry every day about what stupid stuff is going to come out of our president’s mouth again, honestly,” he said.
For Catherine Griffin, mother of two almost teenage children who also walked out into the streets with tears in her eyes, joy and relief were evident.
“I’m happy that Trump is stepping out of our lives, I hope forever,” she said before adding, smiling, “although … we don’t know.”
“Just getting rid of Trump on a daily basis, putting some normalcy back into our lives, and having my kids see a respectable human being in charge – that’s enough to make me happy for today!” She said.
Many, however, said they were aware of the difficulties Joe Biden could face in governing after his slated inauguration in January, due to divisions in the country.
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“I feel relieved and also tired,” says Dyer Rhodes, 23, an artist, who came spontaneously with his friend Allie. “I have the impression that we are going to need four years to make sure that we really save democracy, and that the time to start is now.”
For Kendall Pron, a social services worker, “it’s going to be hard for Biden (…) to try to change their minds, all these people who were supporting Trump and were brainwashed.”
Will Donald Trump return to his native New York? He officially became a resident of Florida, and many hoped to see him stay there.
“He’s turned his back on New York and swears by Florida, I’d be happy if he never comes back,” Kendall Pron says.
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