Violence erupts in Washington as Trump supporters clash with counterprotesters

PTI, Nov 15, 2020, 1:21 PM IST

Washington DC: Violence erupted on the streets of downtown Washington after thousands of supporters of US President Donald Trump held a protest rally to back his unproven claims of massive voter fraud and electoral malpractices during the 2020 presidential elections.

The “Million MAGA March,” held a week after Democrat Joe Biden was declared the winner of the November 3 election, was mainly peaceful throughout the day on Saturday, but by late in the night, clashes erupted between Trump’s supporters and counterprotesters.

A mass brawl broke out later on Saturday night just five blocks away from the White House as counterprotesters clashed with a group of Trump supporters.

According to reports, a man in his 20s, believed to be a Black Lives Matter protester, received serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital after being stabbed in the back during the altercation and two police officers were also injured.

The clash lasted for several minutes as the two groups wielded batons and pushed and shoved each other until cops intervened, the reports said.

Thronging to Washington DC from various parts of the US, participants of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) Rally asserted that Trump won the elections and that they were in the city to express their support to their leader.

Trump, who has not yet conceded the election to the projected winner, Biden, has repeatedly asserted, without evidence, that fraud and other irregularities deprived him of millions of votes in key battleground states.

According to Fox News, anti-Trump demonstrators allegedly hurled eggs at Trump supporters – or stole signs, hats and banners, and lit them on fire.

Videos posted on social media showed some demonstrators and counter-demonstrators trading shoves, punches and slaps.

Anti-Trump protesters clashed with law enforcement in downtown DC as they tried to make their way to a hotel where Trump supporters were staying, the CNN reported.

Trump on Saturday briefly drove by the protestors through Pennsylvania Avenue on his way to his golf course in a Virginia suburb and he waved at his supporters.

Later in the day, Trump in a tweet alleged that news channels are not showing the massive gatherings in support of him, as he posted a picture of protestors of his MAGA rally.

“Instead they have their reporters standing in almost empty streets. We now have SUPPRESSION BY THE PRESS. MAGA!” he said.

Participants of the rally, which started at Freedom Plaza, chanted “four more years” and “stop the steal.” Sporting the red MAGA cap, they displayed large posters and banners in support of Trump.

Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, late Saturday said that at least 20 people were arrested.

Trump in a tweet blasted counter-protesters who turned up at the Million MAGA March as ‘Antifa scum’ as he joked that they ran for the hills after violent scenes erupted in Washington DC on Saturday night.

The president claimed ‘Antifa’ had waited until the end of the march to attack attendees as he praised his supporters who “aggressively fought back.”

“Antifa SCUM ran for the hills today when they tried attacking the people at the Trump Rally because those people aggressively fought back,” he tweeted.

Later, in a series of tweets, Trump attacked media outlets.

“The Fake News Media hardly even discussed the tens of thousands of people that came to DC Formed organically, and in many parts of the Country! “The Silent Media is the Enemy of the People!!! Human Radical Left garbage did this. Being arrested now!” he tweeted.

Trump’s campaign has also filed legal challenges complaining that their poll watchers were unable to scrutinise the voting process. Many of those challenges have been tossed out by judges, some within hours of their filing.