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Biden beats Trump, and Seattle rejoices: Photos, dispatches from Saturday

caption: Oksana Reva stands out of a sun roof while holding a Biden-Harris sign during a celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Oksana Reva stands out of a sun roof while holding a Biden-Harris sign during a celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

Seattle residents took to the streets to celebrate Biden-Harris win

After the election was called before 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, making it official that Joe Biden had defeated incumbent Donald Trump, Seattleites popped bottles of Champagne and took to the streets to celebrate. Below are photos and dispatches from around the area.

9:00 p.m., Capitol Hill

Celebrations continued on Saturday evening with a large dance party surrounding a dumpster fire at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pike Street in Capitol Hill. A group of antifascist people protesting both candidates chanted, "fuck Trump, fuck Biden too. They don't give a fuck about you," while marching along Pike Street.

caption: A large crowd continues an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.
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A large crowd continues an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A group of anti-fascist people protesting both Trump and Biden started a dumpster fire at the intersection of 10th and Pike on Capitol Hill Saturday night.
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A group of anti-fascist people protesting both Trump and Biden started a dumpster fire at the intersection of 10th and Pike on Capitol Hill Saturday night.

Saturday afternoon, Capitol Hill and Downtown

caption: Chloe Fierstein, 14, stands for a portrait while walking to the Our Work Continues: Protect Every Person event, shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near Westlake Park in Seattle. "Today means a lot to me," said Chloe. "We can change the harsh ways that America is right now."
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Chloe Fierstein, 14, stands for a portrait while walking to the Our Work Continues: Protect Every Person event, shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near Westlake Park in Seattle. "Today means a lot to me," said Chloe. "We can change the harsh ways that America is right now."
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Bubbles, roses and champagne are part of a celebration erupting in the street after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Bubbles, roses and champagne are part of a celebration erupting in the street after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Hundreds gathered to celebrate after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Hundreds gathered to celebrate after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A driver raises their fist in the air while passing a large gathering of hundreds celebrating after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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A driver raises their fist in the air while passing a large gathering of hundreds celebrating after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Francis Henn, center, celebrates in the street after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Francis Henn, center, celebrates in the street after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Randolph Lopez holds an American flag while celebrating as a parade of cars drive by and honk their horns after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Randolph Lopez holds an American flag while celebrating as a parade of cars drive by and honk their horns after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Rose pedals and blue streamers are shown on the ground during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Rose pedals and blue streamers are shown on the ground during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Marley Arborico, center, dances during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Marley Arborico, center, dances during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Red, white and blue balloons are shown during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Red, white and blue balloons are shown during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Christina Shook holds a rose while drinking champagne during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Christina Shook holds a rose while drinking champagne during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Oksana Reva, center, holds a Biden-Harris sign out of a sun roof while celebrating after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Oksana Reva, center, holds a Biden-Harris sign out of a sun roof while celebrating after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A band performs during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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A band performs during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Joshua Trujillo drives as his daughters, Ravenna, 14, and Araya, 12, wave an American flag to celebrate the first female Vice President in America during an impromptu car parade and celebration after the results of the 2020 presidential election were made official on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Joshua Trujillo drives as his daughters, Ravenna, 14, and Araya, 12, wave an American flag to celebrate the first female Vice President in America during an impromptu car parade and celebration after the results of the 2020 presidential election were made official on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Cardboard cutouts of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are displayed during an impromptu celebration after the results of the 2020 presidential election were made official on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Cardboard cutouts of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are displayed during an impromptu celebration after the results of the 2020 presidential election were made official on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: An impromptu car parade and celebration took place shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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An impromptu car parade and celebration took place shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: An impromptu car parade and celebration took place shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
Enlarge Icon
An impromptu car parade and celebration took place shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Christian Shook, right, films as a dance party erupts in the street after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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Christian Shook, right, films as a dance party erupts in the street after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: An impromptu dance party erupts on Capitol Hill after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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An impromptu dance party erupts on Capitol Hill after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A group of antifascist protesters burned an American flag as hundreds gathered during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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A group of antifascist protesters burned an American flag as hundreds gathered during an impromptu celebration after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: An impromptu celebration drew hundreds after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
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An impromptu celebration drew hundreds after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and East Pine Street in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

2 p.m. in Bellevue

In Bellevue, Rita Das said she was happy when she learned on the internet that Biden had won the election.

She watched as things changed, over the last four years, under Trump’s administration and she hasn’t been able to travel home to Bangladesh because of her visa for a year and a half.

“I am also a human being,” she said. “ I want to stay with my family.”

But she hopes things will improve in the next four years.

“I want to see America great again, but with better plans.”

—Ashley Hiruko

1 p.m. on Capitol Hill

Hundreds danced in the street during an impromptu celebration near Cal Anderson Park.

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8 secs A dance party broke out on Capitol Hill in Seattle, in celebration of Biden's victory on Nov. 7, 2020. Music was blaring, cars were honking, and people yelling on Saturday afternoon.
KUOW PHOTO/MEGAN FARMER

12:30 p.m. Westlake Park

The march in downtown Seattle took a different tone from the celebrating happening on Capitol Hill.

Community organizer Nikkita Oliver said they wanted to be excited about the results. But “Kamala Harris put a lot of Black people in jail," they said. "Biden also contributed to that."

caption: Teri McClain waits for the start of the Our Work Continues: Protect Every Person event, shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at Westlake Park in Seattle.
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Teri McClain waits for the start of the Our Work Continues: Protect Every Person event, shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at Westlake Park in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

Performers shared music and dance in between the speeches. Community organizer Hamdi Mohamed also spoke during the rally.

“You cannot just stop here just because Biden will soon be in office,” Mohamed said. “We must keep the pressure on and keep pushing for federal progressive policies.”

In the crowd, Marisol Ponce celebrated the Democratic win, even though she said the party and candidates are not perfect.

“But they were our best choice and I'm also very happy to finally have a female as the vice president,” Ponce said.

The rally and march continued to push for changes demonstrators have called for since the summer, including defunding the police. The banner highest in the air at the front of the crowd read “our work continues.”

—Anna Boiko-Weyrauch

Noon in Redmond

In Redmond, Steven Freeman said he cried tears of joy when he learned of the election results around 9 a.m.

“It’s been a really miserable, energy been sucked out,” he said. “Nothing for the middle class, everything for the top 1 percenters; Trump seems really concerned with himself.”

Freeman ended a six-year contract with the Navy in February, and was hoping to get a job this summer.

Freeman said societal morale is low, which has affected him.

“You play off your environment,” he said. “Plus while the pandemic hit, he was out there playing golf,” Freeman continued. “Him on Twitter just talking about nothing.”

—Ashley Hiruko

8:40 a.m. on Capitol Hill

On Capitol Hill, Patti Crowley held a homemade Biden sign in her front yard and wooted loudly.

“I am beyond over the moon,” she said. “I have been under this stress for four years. I am so happy that I will wake up, and I won’t have to check him to make sure that my personal safety is okay, and my family’s.”

She said she does not expect Biden to get on top of Covid and Black Lives Matter right away. And she said she is so excited about Kamala Harris, the first female vice president. She cried when she mentioned Harris.

“It’s been the election of a lifetime,” Crowley continued. “Our lives really depended on it. Yes, I wanted an overwhelming blue wave, but that’s where our country is, we’re really divided, and we need to come together.”

—Anna Boiko-Weyrauch

caption: Jeremie Leverich celebrates with champagne shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle.
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Jeremie Leverich celebrates with champagne shortly after Joe Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

A car parade at the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle after the election is called in Joe Biden's favor:

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1 min A car parade near the Pike Place Market in Seattle on Saturday, November 7, 2020, after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election.
KUOW/Anna Boiko-Weyrauch
caption: Brittney Moraski holds a Biden-Harris sign as cars honk their horns shortly after Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of East Olive Way and Broadway East in Seattle.
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Brittney Moraski holds a Biden-Harris sign as cars honk their horns shortly after Biden was officially named the president elect on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the intersection of East Olive Way and Broadway East in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

From Twitter:

Listeners called into KUOW:

I

am a combination of ecstatic and relieved and thrilled and very emotional about winning, and Kamala Harris winning. Our country needs this. To me it felt like our part of the weight of the world has been lifted somewhat from our collective shoulders. We so need to be not enemies, work together, all of us. —Sally, Greenwood, Seattle

I

am so excited about Biden and Kamala’s win. It’s so nice to see people excited and celebrating and having joy. It’s the first time I’ve seen pure joy since the pandemic started. It’s the first thing, we’re on our way to recovery. And we have a female vice-president! —Maria

I can’t believe that finally they have called the elections five days after election day. The weight was painful and exhausting, as everything is with Trump. I’m so happy, this Trump nightmare is finally over. There are a couple more months to go, and I’m sure it’s going to be ridiculous. And there’s going to be drama like there is always, and he’s going to fling poop at us like a crazy monkey.

Better put up your shit shield, because it’s going to be a messy transition, no doubt. But there is freedom on the horizon, thank God. —Jennifer, north Seattle

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