Nov. 9, 2020 By Christina Santucci
Minutes after several TV networks projected former Vice President Joseph Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race, the cheering began in Astoria.
Residents along 24th Avenue near the Bohemian Beer Garden banged pots in their windows and on their stoops — a sound reminiscent of the nightly cacophony heard for months in the neighborhood in appreciation of the city’s essential workers.
“We did it,” one woman yelled to her neighbors, as another cried out “Yes!” when told that Biden had been announced as president elect.
Along 29th Street near 24th Avenue, several Astoria residents took to their rooftops to celebrate, as passing cars and trucks honked wildly below and runners clapped, raising their hands above their heads before continuing on with their jogging.
On 30th Avenue near 33rd Street, dozens of mostly masked people had gathered by 1 p.m., waving American flags as well as ones emblazoned with rainbows, which represent support for the LGBTQ community.
Several Astoria revelers wore clothes decorated with the stars and stripes, one man’s shirt read VOTER, and a woman wore a face mask with a picture of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
“For 2 and 1/2 hours, I stood with tears of relief in my eyes and the biggest smile on my face, jumping for joy with the city, people of all ages and countries of origin, all so overjoyed and relieved,” said Natalia Paruz, a composer and musical saw player who rang a bell on 30th Avenue to express her joy at the election results.
Each vehicle that honked in solidarity or whose occupants gestured in support elicited an eruption of cheers from the seemingly spontaneous gathering that continued for hours into Saturday afternoon.
The festivities also drew elected officials like state Sen. Michael Gianaris and Sen. Chuck Schumer, who were seen in videos posted to social media posing with people while holding a Biden-Harris sign outside of the 30th Avenue Key Food.
“I loved my neighborhood before, and my city and my country, but now I love it even more, if that is possible. For me, today meant a brighter future. I didn’t stop smiling the whole day,” Paruz said.
21 Comments
Lock him up. Put trump and his supporters in prison!
Typical “democratic socialist”. Josef Stalin and Lenin would be proud of you, taking names of “supporters” whom you disagree with for imprisonment and your “cancel” culture. Fidel Castro took names too, and killed tens of thousands in Cuba.
This is not what America is founded on, but you don’t care, do you? You communists posing as “progressives” and “democratic socialists” will be the undoing of America. You want dictatorship and the eradication and imprisonment of anyone who disagrees with you.
And it’s already started. Take a look at “Democrat” cities like Chicago, NYC, etc. Bankrupt hellholes with no republicans in sight, so you have no one else to blame. Socialism is a disease.
Aha! the Communist who doesn’t want anybody you don’t agree with to be put away. Your true colors have shown!
Notice it’s all mostly women cheering? Meaning women wear the pants in these parts and their soy boys are beta males!
These are decent people instead of sociopaths. May god forgive your type for the evil you have supported and contributed to.
Sure will be sweet if the tables get turned though
Biden hasn’t won anything yet. MSM refuses to pull back EV’s because they started this farce. Realclearpolitics.com has the more realistic count
He’s totally won and it’s not close. Trump did worse than in his business career. May his time in prison be long.
Trump lovers are having a hard time moving on. Seeing the whole world celebrate must not help.
Yes we celebrate one voctory, but the election is not over.
We need to seal the deal by flipping the Senate to the Dems in the January 5th Georgia runoff election for crucial two Senate seats.
If you want REAL change then donate at:
ACTBLUE GEORGIA RUNOFF.
Hell no. I’d rather we both live in 2 distinct countries. I want a divorce! No need to be forced live in a miserable marriage!
You may as well because oh boy is it coming back to the vile folks who supported this psychopath.
Audit first before recount.
Are not aware that there are high probabilities that MI, PA, GA, and AZ end up going to Trump after both manual recount and electronic re-count? A bit premature isn’t it?
Joe Biden has been elected President…PERIOD!
America and Astoria are all the better!
Get over it, stop the lies and nonsense and come together!
Over 200,000 Americans have died of COVID during Trump’s presidency, many here in Queens. Many of them could have been saved if trump had not ignored what he was told in January and February. Instead, HE DID NOTHING and thousands died.
End of story… end of trump!
All Biden has got is that he is the “Projected” winner (not even president-elect as that requires the electors voting on 12/14 and overcoming the hurdles of countless warranted legal challenges in order for it to stick)… and who was he projected by, none other than the lamestream media, fake news hacks that have brainwashed you into thinking that orange man bad.
If you really wanted to “come together”, you would have accepted the last election four years ago and allow this one to take its proper course, accepting the proper results, which republicans will no doubt do if not in their favor, so long as there is transparency into all of the crazed shenanigans happening in these democratic run cities (which should seriously concern you too).
I say all this and I am a liberal, though one that has chosen to wake up. You can too, it only takes a little bit of courage and openness.
I applaud you. Very well said. You speak truth and honesty. Two things that are missing from this election. We need more of both.
There’s no probability for that. He’s going to prison. And his supporters will likely regret they ever heard his name.
If by “high probabilities” you mean “low probabilities”, then I agree. It over, snowflake. Time to accept the election.
Another dead-ender. Educate yourself on how elections work.
Reality is not a prerequisite for this group. It’s more about assuaging their irrational fears and anxiety that has been exploited and stoked by the same news outlets they were listening to that “projected” Biden as the winner.