Protesters Smash Windows, Pepper Sprayed Near Trump Inauguration

Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump’s inaugural parade. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers while a burning limousine sent clouds of black smoke into the sky during Trump’s procession.

The District of Columbia police chief says 217 people have been arrested and charged with rioting and six officers suffered minor injuries during demonstrations against President Donald Trump.

Interim Police Chief Peter Newsham provided the update at a news conference Friday.

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.

In the midst of the on-going protests, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser comments on the incidents taking over inauguration day saying, “To those of you visiting Washington, D.C. we welcome you but we cannot allow you to destroy our neighborhoods.” 

Again, I respect your right to peacefully protest but the damage that has occurred today is unacceptable and not welcome in DC. #Inaug2017

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 20, 2017

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.

Billboard has additional news about Donald Trump inauguration protests.

Here’s what journalists and people on social media shared about the protests:

A protester shouting “Donald Trump is a racist!” is escorted off the Capitol west front, just feet from the new @POTUS

— Kimberly Atkins (@KimberlyEAtkins) January 20, 2017

Washington Post reporter Dalton Bennett thrown to the ground by riot police. pic.twitter.com/4I442QhEqM

— Alex Emmons (@AlexanderEmmons) January 20, 2017

People literally trying to leap over protest wall pic.twitter.com/TVZWA4fNk2

— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) January 20, 2017

Massive amount of protesters for blocks back from the main protest site off the Navy Memorial. @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/frG7cSHUeA

— Heidi Przybyla (@HeidiPrzybyla) January 20, 2017

This guy brought LLAMAS to #Inauguration to protest Trump’s positions on agriculture pic.twitter.com/348NGd0YYO

— Colleen Hagerty (@colleenhagerty) January 20, 2017

Protesters smashed windows of a Starbucks and Bank of America in Washington, DC, during Pres. Trump’s inauguration https://t.co/1y4sqXWCep pic.twitter.com/iupe72TeNt

— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2017

Police use tear gas and pressure grenades to thwart people from throwing rocks as they protest President Donald Trump in D.C. pic.twitter.com/vqtXUQ7Gv2

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 20, 2017

Happening in front of The Washington Post. pic.twitter.com/cyH6m7YwWD

— Steven Ginsberg (@stevenjay) January 20, 2017

Tear gas, loud bursts of sound. Protesters running away. 12th and L pic.twitter.com/RDKchPNhwh

— Mikaela Lefrak (@mikafrak) January 20, 2017

A limo has been smashed by protesters on DC’s K Street, a few blocks from the inaugural parade pic.twitter.com/aZ2kciMYsi

— Circa (@Circa) January 20, 2017