Washington [US], July 6: Severe weather has disrupted celebrations of the United States' 250th anniversary of independence, including in Washington, DC, where a thunderstorm delayed a speech from President Donald Trump by almost two hours.
Trump, addressing a crowd of thousands after Saturday's delay, described the milestone as "one of the most joyous and glorious" in the nation's history. He paid tribute to veterans, including several who served in the Second World War, and celebrated US military prowess, claiming that the US had "wiped out" Iran's military.
The president used the occasion to press his case for the SAVE America Act, which would require ID and proof of citizenship to vote, and renewed his attacks on the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, which he has repeatedly described as "communist" and compared to a cancer.
"It's like a cancer - you've got to cut it out", he said.
In New York City, authorities put on a large fireworks display to mark July 4th celebrations, bringing the 30-minute show forward because of the threat of storms.
The rain and lightning stayed away, allowing thousands of people to enjoy the spectacle.
Elsewhere, severe weather prompted the cancellation of celebrations in Hartford in the state of Connecticut, along with Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre in the state of Pennsylvania. Spectators in the city of Boston, who had gathered to watch fireworks, were told to briefly seek shelter before events later resumed. The city of Pittsburgh also moved forward with fireworks but shifted the time to accommodate the shifting weather.
Earlier in Washington, DC, authorities ordered a weather-related evacuation, with spectators sheltering in nearby museums and government buildings for a few hours. But the crowd later retuned to an open field near the Washington Monument several hours later.
Visitors had waited hours to get into the event, contending with stepped-up security and temperatures that reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius). The record-breaking heat wave forced the cancellation of several parades and other events in the area.
Past presidents have generally avoided in-person appearances at July 4 celebrations, but Trump has blurred the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics.
Source: Qatar Tribune
