WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — South Floridians marked one year since the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by holding a pair of counter-demonstrations Thursday.
President Donald Trump's supporters lined up along Southern Boulevard with music, waiving at drivers passing by. They're disappointed that the former president did not give a speech at Mar-a-Lago but said it gave them more reason to gather together to mark one year ago.
"We still consider President Trump our president," organizer Willy Guardiola said. "What's gone on this past year is a joke. This is not our country."
While that rally unfolded, a "Candlelight Vigil For Democracy" and peaceful "March To Save Our Democracy" was held at 6 p.m. at Southern Boulevard and South Flagler Drive.
"Ho, ho, ho, ho the big lie has got to go," a lady shouted while walking.
Mark Offerman, an organizer of this event, said they're looking to send a message.
"We need people like you to come and be strong in the face of what we just saw, because if we don't, there's no one that knows there are people like us," he said.
His message is to the people upset over the deadly attack at the U.S Capital exactly one year ago.
Organizers looked to march as close to Mar-a-Lago as possible, trying to send a message to the former president and supporters and what they said was a lack of effort to protect the capital that day.
At least 170 rioters have pleaded guilty and more than 70 have been sentenced following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.