Debate attracted strong opinions, activism to Philadelphia

Folks from the Philadelphia region and elsewhere congregated Tuesday night on Independence Mall in an attempt to grab a slice of the spotlight focused on the presidential debate and participate in the democratic process.

Mike Schirmer stood with a sign he picked off the street – it had been run over multiple times – with the words “down with dictators” superimposed over an image with former President Donald Trump wearing a crown.

“This is history, you know?” said Schirmer, before gesturing toward Independence Hall. “Philadelphia, we’ve got so much history started in this building.”

Advocates on all sorts of issues – and acolytes of Trump, Harris and fringe candidates – gathered along Market Street, about as close as they could get to the National Constitutional Center, which hosted the debate.

The war in Gaza and abortion were among the hot topics. Seemingly organic political discussions broke out between attendees; at times, arguments got tense, but remained peaceful.

Provocateurs, including TikTok pranksters and fundamentalist Christians with signs bearing extreme messages, also roamed the grounds.

“Under Biden, they’ve done absolutely nothing,” said Lou Majzik, a 59-year-old Trump fan from Bristol, Bucks County. “I believe it would be better if we had him.”

“I came down here to support Trump,” added his friend, Francis X., 62, of Northeast Philadelphia, who declined to share his last name. “There ain’t many people that are strong enough to do it because everybody’s all gay and liberal.”

A group of military veterans backing Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, held signs while standing on the steps of a nearby building.

“The Republican Party likes to come out and celebrate veterans two days a year,” said Jack Inacker, a Fishtown resident and one-time city controller candidate. “Well, there’s 363 other days out of the year, and Democrats have been delivering.”

Members of Trail of Truth, a nonprofit that seeks to improve treatment options and services for drug users, created a memorial cemetery for those who have died from substance abuse or a related cause.

“We really view this as the most urgent public health crisis of our time,” Mia Hause, 24, of Binghamton, New York, told Metro. “People on either side are just not talking about it enough.”

Several blocks away, hundreds of reporters from around the world gathered at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. A section of the facility was converted into a media area and “spin room,” where prominent boosters of both candidates gave interviews in an attempt to shape coverage.

Trump appeared in the room shortly after the debate. Harris, meanwhile, went to Cherry Street Pier, where she encouraged campaign volunteers and supporters to keep working every day up to the Nov. 5 election.