Police deployed pepper spray in a chaotic confrontation as anti-Donald Trump protesters registered their rage against the incoming American president yesterday.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a campagin rally inside the Cabarrus Arena 7 Events Center in Concord, North Carolina on November 3, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Logan Cyrus
Spirited demonstrations unfolded peacefully at various security checkpoints near the Capitol as police helped ticket-holders get through to the inaugural ceremony.
Signs read, “Resist Trump Climate Justice Now,” ‘’Let Freedom Ring,” ‘’Free Palestine.”
But at one point, police gave chase to a group of about 100 protesters who smashed the windows of downtown businesses as they denounced capitalism and Trump.
Police in riot gear used pepper spray from large canisters and eventually cordoned off the protesters, who shouted, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” as a helicopter hovered overhead.
The confrontation happened about an hour before Trump’s swearing-in at the Capitol.
Closer to that scene, lines for ticket holders entering two gates stretched for blocks at one point as protesters clogged entrances.
Earlier, the DisruptJ20 coalition, named after the date of the inauguration, had promised that people participating in its actions in Washington would attempt to shut down the celebrations, risking arrest when necessary.
Trump supporter Brett Ecker said the protesters were frustrating but weren’t going to put a damper on his day.
“They’re just here to stir up trouble,” said the 36-year-old public school teacher.
“It upsets me a little bit that people choose to do this, but yet again it’s one of the things I love about this country.”
At one checkpoint, protesters wore orange jumpsuits with black hoods over their faces to represent prisoners in U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay.
Eleanor Goldfield, who helped organize the Disrupt J20 protest, said protesters wanted to show Trump and his “misguided, misinformed or just plain dangerous” supporters that they won’t be silent.
Black Lives Matter and feminist groups also made their voices heard.
Most Trump supporters walking to the inauguration past Union Station ignored protesters outside the train station, but not Doug Rahm, who engaged in a lengthy and sometimes profane yelling match with them.
“Get a job,” said Rahm, a Bikers for Trump member from Philadelphia. “Stop crying snowflakes, Trump won.”
Outside the International Spy Museum, protesters in Russian hats ridiculed Trump’s praise of President Vladimir Putin, marching with signs calling Trump “Putin’s Puppet” and “Kremlin employee of the month.”
More demonstrations were planned for later in the day. For one DisruptJ20 event, a march beginning at Columbus Circle outside Union Station, participants were asked to gather at noon, the same time as Trump’s swearing-in as the 45th president.
The route for the march, which organizers called a “Festival of Resistance,” ran about 1.5 miles to McPherson Square, a park about three blocks from the White House, where a rally featuring the filmmaker and liberal activist Michael Moore was planned.
“We’re going to throw a party in the streets for our side,” organizer David Thurston told reporters last week, adding that drummers, musicians and a float of dancers were planned for the march.
Along the parade route, the ANSWER Coalition anti-war group planned demonstrations at two locations.
Protesters and supporters of Trump clashed Thursday evening outside a pro-Trump event in Washington. Police used chemical spray on some protesters in an effort to control the unruly crowd. Hundreds gathered outside the National Press Club in downtown Washington, where the “DeploraBall” was being held. The name is a play on a campaign remark by Hillary Clinton, who once referred to many of Trump’s supporters as a “basket of deplorables.”
The demonstrations won’t end when Trump takes up residence in the White House. A massive Women’s March on Washington is planned for Saturday. Christopher Geldart, the District of Columbia’s homeland security director, has said 1,800 buses have registered to park in the city Saturday, which could mean nearly 100,000 people coming in just by bus.
Protesters block security checkpoints
A group of protesters blocked security checkpoints entrance at 19th and E streets in downtown Washington D.C. on Friday to protest against Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of the U.S.
The correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some women tied themselves together with purple yarn and sat on the ground, blocking access to those trying to get through the security line at the inauguration venue at Capitol Hill, according to reports.
“Hey, hey, ho, ho! Donald Trump has to go!”
“End white supremacy!” the group of protesters chanted.
With signs, brass instruments and large wooden crosses, some of them danced, blew whistles and sang.
Police in the area kept at least one lane open to allow a few people to get through the checkpoint.
Those who made it past the protesters appeared unfazed.
Some demonstrators covered their faces with bandannas and told those going through, “you don’t want to go in there”.
Several anti-Trump protests were also popping up on Friday morning throughout the city.
At 14th and I streets NW, several anti-Trump marchers chanted, “Whose streets? Our streets!”
One man carried a bundle of American flags over his shoulder.
“It’s not enough to continue shouting into the echo chamber of social media.
“We’re here to actually put our bodies on the line in support of our friends who are going to be targeted by this regime,” said Clara Mystif, 31, a writer from Florida.
At Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW, a security checkpoint there was shut down for 10 minutes because of protests but had since reopened, police said.
