Donald Trump inauguration: Hundreds arrested as Washington protests turn violent
Updated
Hundreds of protesters have been arrested and six police officers injured as black-clad activists angry about US President Donald Trump's inauguration smashed shop and car windows in Washington DC.
Key points:
- Protesters only numbered about 500
- Windows at Bank of America and Starbucks among those smashed
- Largest anti-Trump protest expected on Saturday
About 500 people, some wearing masks and bandanas over their faces, marched through the city's downtown, breaking the windows of a Bank of America branch, a McDonald's outlet and a Starbucks shop, all symbols of the American capitalist system.
The crowd chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried at least one sign reading "Make racists afraid again", a play on the New York businessman-turned-politician's "make America great again" campaign slogan.
District of Columbia police chief Peter Newsham says 217 people had been arrested and charged with rioting.
The people arrested would be held overnight before making court appearances, Chief Newsham told a news conference.
The protesters also vandalised several cars, including a limousine that was set alight, and hurled rubbish bins and newspaper vending boxes into the streets before being largely dispersed by police about 90 minutes before Mr Trump was sworn in at the Capitol, just over 2 kilometres away.
Sympathy protests were held around the nation and the world, in cities including Los Angeles, Tokyo and London.
But in Moscow, Russians hoping Mr Trump would usher in a new era of detente with their country celebrated his inauguration.
Far-right activist punched during interview
Far-right activist Richard Spencer was punched during an interview with ABC's Washington bureau chief Zoe Daniel.
Mr Spencer, president of the white nationalist National Policy Institute, was responding to protesters' accusations of him being a "neo-Nazi" when he was attacked by a masked assailant.
Mr Spencer has since tweeted saying there was no physical damage as he can "take a punch".
Not far from the White House, protesters scuffled with police, at one point throwing aluminium chairs at an outdoor cafe.
"The message I want to send is that Trump does not represent this country. He represents the corporate interests," said Jessica Reznicek, a 35-year-old Catholic aid worker from Des Moines, Iowa, who was part of the protest but did not participate in the violence.
Two Washington DC police officers were injured in altercations with protesters, a local ABC (America) television affiliate reported.
Police detained about 50 people a few blocks away, as a crowd chanted "let them go".
Earlier, liberal activists with a separate group called Disrupt J20 intermittently blocked multiple security checkpoints leading to the largest public viewing area for the inauguration. Several were led away by police.
Disrupt J20 protest organiser Alli McCracken, 28, of Washington, said the group was voicing its displeasure over Mr Trump's controversial comments about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims.
"We have a lot of people of diverse backgrounds who are against US imperialism and we feel Trump will continue that legacy," Ms McCracken said.
Trump supporters and opponents clash
Tensions were high on the streets of Washington ahead of the inauguration, with occasional scuffles breaking out.
Trump supporters Chris and Karen Korthaus, who carried a life-size cardboard cut-out of the former reality TV star, crossed paths with an anti-Trump crowd.
"A protester came over and ripped off the Don's head," Karen Korthaus said as she showed a reporter a video of the incident.
"We ran to a pizza shop and taped his head back on."
Carl Beams, 36, from Howell, New Jersey, stood in line with thousands of other Trump supporters waiting to enter the National Mall to view the inauguration.
"This is a great moment in history. I wanted to be able to say I was here firsthand," said Mr Beams, who runs a martial-arts school.
While Washington was the focal point of the anti-Trump protests, there were rallies around the nation and world.
Activists in London hung a banner reading "Build bridges not walls" on the city's iconic Tower Bridge, a reference to Mr Trump's campaign promise of building a wall on the US-Mexican border.
By far the largest protest is expected to be Saturday's Women's March on Washington, which some 200,000 people from around the country are expected to attend.
The US Secret Service, Washington police and other law enforcement agencies had about 28,000 officers in place to secure a large part of downtown Washington.
Reuters
Topics: activism-and-lobbying, us-elections, world-politics, government-and-politics, united-states
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