‘We are about democracy here': City officials call for end to political violence

After a gunman attempted to kill Republican former President Donald Trump at a political rally in Butler on Saturday, officials in Philadelphia gathered for a call to condemn political violence.

The event, organized by Omar Sabir, chair of the Philadelphia Board of Elections, was intended to, according to Sabir's office, "condemn political violence and promote peace and democracy."

In kicking off the day, Sabir recalled America's forefathers and the country they envisioned in the creation of the country.

"We the people, we are calling on every leader, every community leader, all Americans, to condemn political violence here in the United States of America," Sabir said. "It has no place. Every American has the right to assemble peacefully to express their values, to vote who they want to vote for and to hear whatever message from whoever they want to hear from."

According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Secret Service is still investigating how a gunman armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get on a nearby roof and shoot and injure the former president at a rally over the weekend.

Léelo en español aquí.

Trump was bloodied and said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” the Associate Press said.

On Sunday, Governor Josh Shapiro said Corey Comperatore, a former firefighter, was killed during the assassination attempt and two other people were injured.

During Monday's event, Sabir noted that he wanted to hold the United Against Violence event in front of the Octavius V. Catto Memorial outside City Hall as Cotto was killed in an act of political violence on an election day.

"This is an issue that we are calling on Congress, from local levels to state and federal officials, to provide the resources to keep election officials safe, all elected officials safe, keep our poll workers safe and, we need historic investment in the people who oversee elections and election officials to ensure that these tragedies will never occur," said Sabir.

Sabir then asked Seth Bluestein, a city commissioner, and the only Republican on the city's Board of Elections to address the issue.

He took a moment to argue that no voter in the city should ever feel threatened or unsafe in participating in the electoral process

"This should not be a Democratic value or a Republican value, It is an American value," Bluestein said.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner too attended the day's event. He said that his office is working to "do better and do more in terms of election protection than we have ever done."

He noted that his office is responsible for providing protections to election integrity in the city and Krasner said that, in a free society, there was no place for political violence.

"We need to have election that are free, final and fair," Krasner said.

He said that, in recent months, his office has set up a team to ensure that Philadelphia's elections are safe and secure. Krasner also promised, within the next 30 days, to provide further updates on how his office is working with other governmental agencies to protect every vote.

"We want the message to be clear, it's safe for you to vote in Philadelphia. It's safe for you to serve as a poll worker. it's safe for you to do voter registration drives. We are about democracy here. No one can stop democracy," said Sabir.