Trump supporters gather in Springfield to protest Biden victory

A group of supporters of President Donald Trump gathered in front of the Illinois State Capitol Wednesday afternoon protesting Congress' certification of the Electoral College votes electing Joe Biden as president. 

Henry Haupt from the Secretary of State office said they estimated about 50 people were in attendance. 

A short time later, thousandsds of Trump supporters were swarming the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in sometimes violent protests and breaching security barriers. John Normoyle, an aide to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, said by email that he and other staffers were "locked down" in Washington and unable to do interviews. Durbin couldn't be reached for comment. 

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, remembered his time as a staffer for Congressman Darin LaHood's father, Ray, and his experience on 9/11 trying to reach him. He said he refuses to identify with Republicans terrorizing the U.S. Capitol and that today was "a day of reckoning" for the Republican party. 

"As someone who has worked on Capital Hill, this is beyond scary and a sad day for our country," Butler said. "For people who supposedly believe in law and order, this should not happen."  

Butler said it was a "direct assault" on our nation. 

In Springfield, Trump supporters remained calm and in good spirits at the Illinois Capitol, listening to the president's speech on the National Mall, playing music and listening to Congress debate the Electoral College votes. Despite the inevitable inauguration of Biden on Jan. 20, Trump's supporters still say he will be victorious. 

"I feel very sad for Mr. Biden because I don't feel he is competent," Ardith Deters from Logan County said. "He's not going to be the president for long, if he even gets there." 

The general message from protestors was that they want accountability of elected officials and reforms to protect election security such as banning vote by mail and requiring voters to have IDs. 

Emily Cahill of Plainfield has organized the protests at the state Capitol since the election. She said the violence as the U.S. Capitol is scary, but it has earned attention to their cause. 

"I do not agree with them storming the Capitol in the way they did, but their voices are being heard," Cahill said. "It did stop them from certifying a faulty election, so maybe it will get more light shined onto the issue."

Linda Stoker from Bethalto, a town near Alton, has traveled to Springfield for multiple protests against the election. 

"As far as I am concerned, Trump will be my president, not Joe Biden," Stoker said. "I want somebody in there that's going to be honest and there for the people. Joe Biden just isn't the one to do that. 

"We've got to take our country back. We need to get people in there that are going to take action."

Almost all protestors came with Trump 2020 flags, American flags, and signs that read "stop the steal." They said the best way to fix the problems they believe have arisen from the election would be to keep Trump in office and allow him to take action. 

Cahill said her method for drawing attention to her cause is getting people involved in the elections for the future, such as working as election judges. 

"I believe that if you want to change the system you have to become the system to change it," Cahill said. 

Protesters peacefully left the Illinois Capitol without any incident.