Forward Observer

Attorney General Todd Blanche’s appearance Monday at Jackson City Hall drew protests from voting advocates who said the associated road closures and police presence could intimidate or inconvenience voters curing affidavit ballots in Mississippi’s still-unresolved Senate race, according to DEMOCRACY DOCKET and MISSISSIPPI TODAY.

Demonstrators gathered near the Hinds County Courthouse, where voters who cast affidavit ballots because they lacked photo ID on Election Day must present acceptable identification or sign a religious objection affidavit by 5PM Tuesday for their votes to count. Activists chanted “Don’t interrupt our vote” and said the meeting could have been held elsewhere.

Angela Grayson of the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable said road closures were rerouting people and that the police presence, including snipers on nearby buildings, created fear.

Democrat Scott Colom currently leads Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by roughly 2,500 votes statewide; if elected, he would be Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.

Hinds County, a Democratic stronghold and the state’s most populous county, still had about 7% of its vote outstanding early Monday. County attorney Tony Gaylor said officials expected to finish counting most affidavit ballots by the end of Monday, with final results uploaded Wednesday after review by the Resolution Board. Counties have until Nov. 13 to certify.

Hyde-Smith has not issued a public statement since Friday.

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A bike ride organized to boycott several Jewish-owned restaurants in Philadelphia drew hundreds of counterprotesters on Sunday, resulting in three arrests, according to the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, NBC NEWS, CBS PHILADELPHIA, and CNN.

The event, called the “Boycott Ride” and organized by Philly Bike On Your Left, targeted six businesses in the Rittenhouse Square area that organizers said had supported Israel’s military efforts, including Mac Mart, K’Far Café, Huda, Goldie, Schlesinger’s, and Dizengoff. The group described itself as an anti-fascist, anti-Zionist collective and said the ride had been “grossly misrepresented.”

Police estimated roughly 300 pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including about 200 on bikes, and 200 counterprotesters. Officers worked to keep the groups separated; at least one physical altercation occurred.

Three people were arrested: a man and a woman for disorderly conduct and a 17-year-old boy for assaulting police. Two officers sustained minor injuries. All demonstrations dispersed by about 1:15 PM with no property damage reported.

The event, held on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, drew condemnation from Gov. Josh Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle Parker, Attorney General Dave Sunday, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, who called it antisemitic and an attempt to intimidate Jewish business owners. JewBelong installed billboards urging people to “boycott the boycott ride.”

Many of the targeted restaurants reported long lines of supportive customers. Organizers denied any connection to the Kristallnacht anniversary and said the focus was the businesses’ support for Israel.

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ICE agents detained at least two U.S. citizens outside Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights late Friday after bringing a person in custody to the emergency room, prompting overnight protests that continued into Saturday, according to LAIST, CBS LOS ANGELES, and KABC.

Rapid response groups said the confrontation began after residents saw agents take someone into the hospital. Video posted online shows officers in tactical vests detaining people near Boyle and Pennsylvania Avenues around 11:30 PM, with one officer telling a bystander that his brother had assaulted a federal agent.

Agents later formed a line across the ambulance entrance, prompting the hospital to divert ambulances for about two hours. Neighbors used whistles, fireworks, pots and pans to alert one another and gather. Community members reported being pepper-sprayed or maced. Hospital officials said they did not invite or authorize the agents and do not participate in immigration enforcement.

Los Angeles police responded to reports of a large disturbance but said they did not assist with immigration enforcement.

On Saturday, protesters marched from Mariachi Plaza to the hospital. Mayor-elect Nithya Raman and Mayor Karen Bass condemned the agents’ presence at a healthcare facility. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado called on the hospital to disclose any agreements with ICE. The Department of Homeland Security declined to discuss the operation and said ICE does not target hospitals.

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The White House was locked down for about 30 minutes Monday morning after a driver crashed into a security barrier in Lafayette Park and a second person jumped a barricade nearby, according to NBC WASHINGTON.

Secret Service agents ordered journalists to remain in the West Wing briefing room. Video showed a smoking silver sedan on a brick walkway just north of the White House, with National Guard troops standing by as officers spoke with the driver. Someone is heard shouting “Get on the ground!” as the driver clashed with officers.

The Secret Service said the driver was combative but was quickly placed under arrest.

Around the same time, a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park, at Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street, and was also arrested. The D.C. police bomb squad searched the car as a precaution and determined it was safe. The reason for the crash was not immediately clear.

A source familiar with the investigation said the driver was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, related to the vehicle, and assault on a police officer. The person who jumped the barricade was charged with unlawful entry. Normal operations resumed after the lockdown.

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President Trump questioned the integrity of last week’s midterm election results in which Republicans lost both chambers of Congress, days after saying he would accept the outcome, according to the BBC, POLITICO, and CNBC.

On Monday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Does anybody really believe that this ‘Election’ was honest. How could the Polls be so wrong???” He claimed “some early voting ‘dumps’ were so large that it was impossible to win” and that “It’s all about the machines, which are far more important than the voter!” He provided no specific evidence.

The post marked a shift from Election Night, when he told the New York Times he was “absolutely willing” to accept the results and look forward to working with Democrats. Democrats have secured 54 Senate seats and 254 House seats, with some races still outstanding. State and local officials said voting was mostly problem-free.

Trump told CBS NEWS that Republicans “would have won easily if I was on the ballot.” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the claims a “pathetic return to election denialism” and said nothing would change the fact that Trump will face large Democratic majorities for the final two years of his term.

Republicans suffered losses in traditional strongholds including Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, and Iowa.

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