While voters go to the polls in traditionally democratic New York, the police prepare for possible rioting. The fear of violence on election night has never been as great as this time.
By Peter Mücke, ARD-Studio New York
Osama Miro from Williamsburg wanted to be absolutely sure. In the morning he went to the polling station – unlike four years ago: “At the time, I was sure that Hillary Clinton would win. So I stayed home,” he says. “Last time I learned that every vote counts.”
Which is only partially true in the US electoral system. Because regardless of whether the 26-year-old casts his vote or not: New York with its 29 voters will go to the Democrats anyway. Hillary Clinton was 21 percentage points ahead of Donald Trump four years ago. It was of no use, because the election was lost in the important swing states. And so voting in New York is more of a symbolic act.
Worry about Trump’s reaction to possible defeat
“We need a landslide victory for Biden. That could help if the election goes to court in the end,” says Miro. That was the last time 20 years ago, when the Supreme Court of the USA had to decide whether George Bush or Al Gore had won in Florida and was thus allowed to move into the White House. That could happen this year, too, fears Miro: “For the first time in my life, I am in a country where a peaceful change of power is not certain.”
In fact, until the end of the day, US President Trump avoided answering whether he would accept an election defeat. Instead, he has been spreading rumors of unsafe postal votes and other alleged irregularities for months. “As critical as I see the military, in the end it will obey orders and ensure that Trump leaves the White House. That calms me down a bit,” says Miro.
Trump Tower in Manhattan is cordoned off
Like many large cities in the United States, New York has prepared itself for violent protests on election night. There had been minor clashes last weekend. In the meantime, the police have cordoned off a large area of the Trump Tower in Manhattan – even if the president wants to stay in Washington anyway. Occasional businessmen in Manhattan have nailed up shop windows with plywood.
“These are all one hundred percent precautionary measures,” says New York Police Chief Dermot Shea. “We have no evidence that there will be looting like on the fringes of the Black Lives Matter protests. But one thing should be clear to all New Yorkers: the cops out there will have zero tolerance.”
“The current government wants to divide”
The 60-year-old James Cruz, who went to the polls in Bushwick that morning, worries about what the coming days will bring: “The division in the country is so deep. And I fear that it will discharge,” he says. “Maybe not here in New York, but elsewhere. The current government wants to split. And that worries me.”
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