Demonstrators protest voting tabulation process at Maricopa County Election Center in Phoenix

About 200 people gathered near the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix on Saturday to protest the voting tabulation process while holding signs that decried voter fraud.

Other signs called Katie Hobbs, the Democratic candidate for Arizona governor, “corrupt,” and another sign said, “FBI honor your oath, arrest all traitors.”

In a tweet on Friday, state Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, called for patriots to “rise up to rally” and “pray for the Light to shine in the darkness and for His truth to be revealed.”

Demonstrators circled the barricaded Election Center building seven times, to reenact the Battle of Jericho. As described in the biblical Book of Joshua, the walls of Jericho fell after the Israelites marched around the city walls once a day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day.

“We’re very concerned, our country being turned upside down. The fact of the matter is, is that there's a lot of reason for us to be concerned,” said state Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction, who was in attendance.

About an hour after the rally kicked off, Rogers issued another tweet, urging people to stay away from the Maricopa County offices so they could finish counting the votes.

“The last thing anyone wants is a reason to stop the counting,” Rogers said.

Andrea Alexander and her adult son, Michael Alexander, both county residents, were standing curbside in support of the effort, both casting doubts on the legitimacy of the tabulations and what they said were Election Day voting irregularities.

However, Andrea Alexander was dismayed by the absence of organizers like Rogers, who on Friday had promoted the event on social media.

"Shame on them," she said, also referencing Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem.

The mom voiced concern about the people the event had drawn, including a man who passed by her and said, "9/11 was an inside job."

"I didn't come here for a J6 rally," Andrea Alexander said, referencing the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol.

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said he was concerned about some people marching in the street and obstructing traffic. One demonstrator collapsed from heat exhaustion and was tended to by deputies. Otherwise, Penzone said the protest, which appeared to be dissipating by midafternoon, was uneventful.

“They were peaceful,” he said. “They had an objective, they stayed within that scope and they left in a reasonable amount of time.”

The crowd is the first to gather at the county’s election headquarters since counting began, besides a few people on Tuesday night. Still, Penzone said he and his deputies will remain at the building as long as needed to ensure public safety.

He also praised Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who posted on Twitter that Arizona protesters should not “show up outside county buildings” or “tweet or say stupid things.”

“I don’t know Mr. Kirk; I don’t know his organization or anything about it,” Penzone said. “But I appreciate the fact that he understands, at least in that communication, that he can be helpful to us and he was.”

Simultaneously, Penzone warned politicians and political personalities to “be thoughtful” about their rallying cries.

“If you are an elected official and you are doing things to provoke a crowd to come out front here that can lead to the point of acts of violence or crimes, not only should we put you at the top of the criminal report and charge you, but I feel we should send you the bill,” he said.

Josiah Hall, a 25-year-old Democrat, said he attended the rally to exercise his First Amendment rights.

"I'm here all day to get my voice heard because I believe in truth over conspiracy ... and I say Democracy has won," Hall said. "People can have different beliefs, and this and that, but I think Arizona has spoken."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Demonstrators in Phoenix protest county's voting tabulation process