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What happened at Brooks Brothers riots? 3 reasons why it's similar to ‘Stop the Count’ protests by Trump backers

The name ‘Brooks Brothers’ was in reference to the protesters clad in corporate attire. It was led by then New York Representative at the time, John E Sweeney

People gathered in large numbers at a vote-counting location in Michigan on November 4, after President Trump’s campaign moved the US Supreme Court to halt the ballot-counting process. Widely circulated videos from TCF Center in Detroit show protesters chanting “Stop the count”, which began shortly before it was declared that Joe Biden had won in Michigan. 

Police officers have lined up to keep the crowd from entering the counting area. The Republican campaign has filed a suit to stop the count in Detroit, demanding Michigan’s Democratic secretary of the state to allow more inspectors, according to reports. A journalist took to Twitter to post a video of the protest from a Michigan counting center. Watch it below:

Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien reportedly said the “President’s political operatives have not been provided with meaningful access to numerous counting locations to observe the opening of ballots and the counting process, as guaranteed by Michigan law.”

He stated further, “We have filed suit today in the Michigan Court of Claims to halt counting until meaningful access has been granted. We also demand to review those ballots which were opened and counted while we did not have meaningful access.” He is also demanding a recount of votes that were cast in the Badger State, citing, “reports of irregularities in several Wisconsin counties which raise serious doubts about the validity of the results.”

While the uncertainty surrounding the final results has left the Americans tense, some are anxious about the consequences of it, already having witnessed the states across the county embracing themselves for riots and protests that are expected to break in the Republican vs Democratic race. A lot of them are comparing the ‘Stop the count’ moment to the ‘Brooks Brothers’, which took a violent turn during the vote-counting session in Miami, Florida, in 2000.

What happened at the Brooks Brothers riot?

During the 2000 United States presidential election, Miami-Dade County official canvassers were ordered by the court to meet a deadline. Therefore, they decided to recount the ballots that weren’t processed by the computer. The counting was also moved closer to the ballot-scanning machine to speed up the process. This move was resisted by the Republicans who demanded a full recount of the votes. It is said that a significant number of Republican protesters were allegedly paid by George W Bush.

The name ‘Brooks Brothers’ was in reference to the protesters who were clad in corporate attire. It was lead by then New York Representative at the time John E Sweeney. Reportedly, the demonstration turned violent and the protesters were stopped by the police. Sweeney defended himself, saying his aim was to restore the process in public view and not to shut it down. ‘Brooks Brothers’ saw the participation of politicians and diplomats, including Joel Kaplan, Roger Stone, Matt Schlapp, Garry Malphrus and Roger Morse. 

More and more social media users are discussing the 'Stop the count' demonstrations and comparing it to what unfolded at the 'Brooks Brothers'. Even though the police haven't intervened in Michigan, the protest has intensified with people banging on the doors, stating they have the "right to get in". 

One tweeted, "Yes, I think they were trying to repeat the Brooks Brothers Riot (whose leaders were later rewarded)" Another added, "A 2020 Remake of The Brooks Brothers Riots is already underway. Buckle up." One opined, "Trying to recreate the Brooks Brothers riot. I’d genuinely worry about vandalism...hate to even say it but nutters are gonna nut." One user noted, "And who was at the last Brooks Brothers riot? Facebook Vice President of Global Public Policy Joel Kaplan, whose job now requires him to help protect the integrity of the US election on the social network. History is great!"