As Biden declared victor, demonstrators celebrate, call for continued action

Yawu Miller

Yawu Miller is the former senior editor of the Bay State Banner. He has written for the Banner since 1988.... VIEW BIO

Hundreds of activists marched through downtown Saturday afternoon in a demonstration that began as a call for environmental justice, housing protection and worker protections and expanded to include celebrations the Biden/Harris victory.

Throughout downtown and across the city, car horns blared and groups of people gathered in parks and squares, some waving American Flags to celebrate the defeat of one of the most divisive political figures in recent U.S. history.

On Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, the bells of the First Church tolled continuously as a parade of cars drove through the business district while honking their horns.

In Copley Square, where organizers with labor and community activists groups gathered, speakers said the Biden/Harris victory is not the end of the road.

“We cannot be lulled into a false sense of security,” said Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang. “Our fight is just entering a different phase.”

Tang and other speakers said they want to see the Legislature pass the Housing Stability Act, which would extend foreclosure protection, enact stronger immigrant protections and protections for essential workers.

“Today is about standing up for all the folks who expressed their will in this election,” SEIU 32BJ Executive Vice President Roxanna Rivera told the Banner. “We want to uphold the basic principle of democracy: that voters pick their leaders.”

Rivera said the Boston demonstration was one of many supported by SEIU locals across the East Coast.

As the demonstrators made their way to the financial district, horns blared in support.

Asian American Resource Center Executive Director Carolyn Chou said the demonstration was partly a celebration and partly a call to action.

“It’s important to celebrate what’s happened and celebrate the organizing that made this possible,” she said. “We’re going to keep pushing for the policies that the communities in Massachusetts and across the nation need.”