White House protesters demand probe of Comey dismissal

A large number of Americans have held a demonstration in front of the White House to protest against President Donald Trump, with some calling him a fascist leader.

The protest was held on Wednesday, a day after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey, telling him it was time for a "new beginning" at America’s "crown jewel of law enforcement."

Comey, who had been leading a politically-charged investigation into alleged ties between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia, learned about his firing as director of the FBI through a news report on television while he was giving a speech and thought it was a joke, according to bureau staffers.

Protesters called on the government to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate allegations of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. Some of the demonstrators even called for Trump’s impeachment.

“Fire comb-over, not Comey,” read the sign of Bill Wydro, a 71-year-old retired teacher.

Martina Leinz, 55, an administrator at Johns Hopkins University’s DC campus, said she and her colleagues participated in the protest during their lunch break.

“I am here because there has never been a point in history when our democracy has been more severely threatened than it is now,” she said. “I think it’s incumbent upon the Republicans in Congress to stand up and fight back to this travesty.”

“Shame. Shame,” protesters chanted while pointing at the White House’s occupant, adding, “We see you.”

“Ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” many people who joined the demonstration were chanting in unison.

The demonstration was organized by a coalition of more than a dozen organizations. Jo Comerford, campaign director for MoveOn.org, one of the groups which arranged the protest, said the dismissal of Comey has created a “constitutional crisis.”

Read more:

• Trump fires FBI Director Comey
• FBI's Comey thought dismissal was 'prank'

Michael Breen, who is president and chief executive of the nonprofit Truman National Security Project, said the demo was organized following the firing of Comey.

“My organization does not do a lot of protests. I’m not an activist,” Breen said. “But we felt this was an extraordinary moment.”

On Wednesday, Trump said he fired Comey because he had lost the "confidence" of nearly everyone in Washington, DC. 

Trump said the new FBI director will do a better job than Comey, and predicted people would be "thanking" him for his decision of firing the man, who had been leading a politically charged investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The move by Trump provoked backlash from several lawmakers, who questioned the timing of Comey’s removal as the FBI is investigating Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 election.

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