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| Dozens arrested on inauguration day as protests erupt in Washington | Dozens arrested on inauguration day as protests erupt in Washington |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nearly a hundred protesters were arrested on Friday as police used pepper spray and stun grenades to suppress a series of small, violent confrontations before and after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. | |
| Thousands of protesters from numerous groups have descended on Washington DC for mostly peaceful protest throughout inauguration day, in a sign of the dissent and discord Trump’s divisive presidential campaign produced. | |
| Shortly after Trump was sworn in, violent protests broke out in the downtown area close to the north lawn of the White House. A few dozen protesters, clad in black, threw projectiles at police and barricaded the road with newspaper kiosks and bins, which they later set fire to. The group were quickly surrounded by police in riot gear who used stun grenades and pepper spray after a black limousine was set on fire. | |
| Before the swearing in ceremony took place activists from the anarchist group known as the black bloc smashed storefront windows and cars as they clashed with police. Officers in riot gear had again responded with pepper spray and stun grenades as the breakaway protesters were overwhelmed with force less than two miles from the US Capitol. | |
| The group of about 200 people, many wearing black hoodies and masks, were eventually contained by officers as they chanted: “This is what a police state looks like” and “You’re protecting fascists”. Eyewitnesses reported only a handful of arrests. | The group of about 200 people, many wearing black hoodies and masks, were eventually contained by officers as they chanted: “This is what a police state looks like” and “You’re protecting fascists”. Eyewitnesses reported only a handful of arrests. |
| Most of the protesters declined to be interviewed or named, but one man who refused to give his name said their purpose was to reject “a system of economic exploitation called capitalism”. | Most of the protesters declined to be interviewed or named, but one man who refused to give his name said their purpose was to reject “a system of economic exploitation called capitalism”. |
| “It’s not just about no order,” he said. “It’s about human freedom and an economy that’s run by the people.” | “It’s not just about no order,” he said. “It’s about human freedom and an economy that’s run by the people.” |
| A spokesman for the DC metropolitan police said law enforcement arrested more than 95 people by Friday afternoon while two officers suffered minor injuries. | |
| “We expected this kind of thing from this kind of group, and they’re going to be held accountable,” said Peter Newsham, the interim chief of police, said. | “We expected this kind of thing from this kind of group, and they’re going to be held accountable,” said Peter Newsham, the interim chief of police, said. |
| Another group of activists had attempted earlier to shut down a number of the security points allowing access to the public viewing area of the inauguration on the National Mall on Friday morning. | Another group of activists had attempted earlier to shut down a number of the security points allowing access to the public viewing area of the inauguration on the National Mall on Friday morning. |
| The small groups at these checkpoints, organised by a group named Disrupt J20, linked arms as some members were led away by police wearing body armor. The organization claimed on social media that they had temporarily shut down a number of the dozen checkpoints around the Mall, with a group of Black Lives Matter protesters reportedly closing access at one location for over an hour. | The small groups at these checkpoints, organised by a group named Disrupt J20, linked arms as some members were led away by police wearing body armor. The organization claimed on social media that they had temporarily shut down a number of the dozen checkpoints around the Mall, with a group of Black Lives Matter protesters reportedly closing access at one location for over an hour. |
| Hundreds of protesters appeared to have gained access to the public viewing areas on the Mall, many chanting “not my president” and holding signs with slogans including “Can we impeach him today?” and “Fascist”. | Hundreds of protesters appeared to have gained access to the public viewing areas on the Mall, many chanting “not my president” and holding signs with slogans including “Can we impeach him today?” and “Fascist”. |
| As the chief justice, John Roberts, rose to administer the oath of office for the incoming president, six protesters, seated on the lawn just in front of the steps to the Capitol, tore off their coats, jumped on to their chairs and began chanting. | As the chief justice, John Roberts, rose to administer the oath of office for the incoming president, six protesters, seated on the lawn just in front of the steps to the Capitol, tore off their coats, jumped on to their chairs and began chanting. |
| “A nation united can never be divided,” they said. Together the letters on their shirts spelled: “Resist!” | “A nation united can never be divided,” they said. Together the letters on their shirts spelled: “Resist!” |
| Around them, supporters shouted and called for them to leave. A man shook their chairs until one of the protesters fell. Eventually, security arrived and they were removed from the event. | Around them, supporters shouted and called for them to leave. A man shook their chairs until one of the protesters fell. Eventually, security arrived and they were removed from the event. |
| Protesters at the inauguration. Their shirts spell RESIST pic.twitter.com/IrgJkmG8Rx | Protesters at the inauguration. Their shirts spell RESIST pic.twitter.com/IrgJkmG8Rx |
| The focal point for many was likely to be an organized rally being held at the US Navy Memorial, which is situated along the inaugural parade route. Dozens of speakers from activist groups around the country were addressing a crowd of a few hundred people on Friday morning, as some complained that “thousands more” were waiting to get into the rally but had been prevented from entering by the secret service. | The focal point for many was likely to be an organized rally being held at the US Navy Memorial, which is situated along the inaugural parade route. Dozens of speakers from activist groups around the country were addressing a crowd of a few hundred people on Friday morning, as some complained that “thousands more” were waiting to get into the rally but had been prevented from entering by the secret service. |
| James Ebersole, a protester who had come to Washington from Virginia, said he had decided to come to DC in order to “voice dissent, to say that this is not OK”. | James Ebersole, a protester who had come to Washington from Virginia, said he had decided to come to DC in order to “voice dissent, to say that this is not OK”. |
| “I think it’s unifying people,” he said of Trump’s election, while brandishing a sign that read “Misogyny is a danger to society”. | “I think it’s unifying people,” he said of Trump’s election, while brandishing a sign that read “Misogyny is a danger to society”. |
| “It’s a call to action, a wake-up call, and it unites us against this threat.” | “It’s a call to action, a wake-up call, and it unites us against this threat.” |
| Barbara McQueeney had never attended an inauguration before, but she felt compelled to fly out from St Augustine, Florida, to protest outside the barricades lining the National Mall. | Barbara McQueeney had never attended an inauguration before, but she felt compelled to fly out from St Augustine, Florida, to protest outside the barricades lining the National Mall. |
| “I live in an area where there’s a lot of Trump supporters and I’m crushed,” she said. “We need hope.” | “I live in an area where there’s a lot of Trump supporters and I’m crushed,” she said. “We need hope.” |
| McQueeney, who is retired, did not engage in much shouting. She instead stood quietly at the center of a protest lifting a homemade poster with the letters USSR spelling out “United States Satellite of Russia”. | McQueeney, who is retired, did not engage in much shouting. She instead stood quietly at the center of a protest lifting a homemade poster with the letters USSR spelling out “United States Satellite of Russia”. |
| “Everyone knows they were involved,” she said of Vladimir Putin’s government, “but everyone is just going forward like it’s business as usual.” | “Everyone knows they were involved,” she said of Vladimir Putin’s government, “but everyone is just going forward like it’s business as usual.” |
| “This day is about celebrating a peaceful transfer of power, but it’s the first time we transferred from a free country to a country that’s influenced by a foreign power.” | “This day is about celebrating a peaceful transfer of power, but it’s the first time we transferred from a free country to a country that’s influenced by a foreign power.” |
| In San Francisco protesters took over the pedestrian pathways of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in an effort to form a “human chain” on Friday afternoon. The action, which did not blocked vehicle traffic, attracted thousands of people, who held hands as part of a peaceful demonstration. At the San Francisco headquarters of Uber, activists shut down the office building, leading to roughly 16 arrests. The tech company’s CEO recently joined Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum. | |
| Demonstrators also assembled outside Trump Tower in New York City where seven people, including two New York City councilmen were arrested. The crowd assembled late Friday morning and sat in the road, attempting to stop traffic. | |
| Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to descend on Washington for a Women’s March that is scheduled for Saturday, with similar events organized in cities around the country. | Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to descend on Washington for a Women’s March that is scheduled for Saturday, with similar events organized in cities around the country. |