USA TODAY :
Protesters clashed outside of the White House and in other cities throughout Election night and Wednesday morning, with emotions flaring and dozens of arrests reported.
Dozens marched through streets in Los Angeles and crowds of 200 or more were in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Portland, Oregon. Minnesota saw more than a dozen arrests.
Tempers flared as the evening wore on, with President Trump perhaps adding fuel to the fire by making a statement that he thinks the election is rigged. He made the comment while Biden held a slight lede in the race but with several key states remaining to be counted.
“This is fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country . .. . Frankly, we did win the election,” Trump said. It’s unclear whether his comment caused protests to escalate.
The Washington, D.C., protest, despite a mostly peaceful atmosphere, had pockets of confrontation as the night wore on. Pushing and shoving between protesters could be seen, and police in the area sought to disperse the crowd, with smoke filling the air from an unidentified source.
CBS News reporter Christina Ruffini shared a video of what she called “some sort of smoke bomb” being used at the protest and said people were “just fighting.” Scuffles at the scene were broken up quickly.
Other reports of confrontation surfaced Tuesday. A man wearing a shirt supporting incumbent President Donald Trump challenged a protester to a fight in a situation that was diffused by police, according to the New York Times.
The outlet also reported a man was hit with a bat after he shouted “all lives matter” and a protester who was chanting “Black lives matter.” Bystanders broke up that confrontation, The New York Times reported.
A D.C. Metropolitan Police Department spokesman said so far, one arrest had been made as of just before 10 p.m. An adult male was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, crossing a police line and resisting arrest.
Shortly before midnight, dozens of black-clad protesters began marching west from Black Lives Matter Plaza, using megaphones to chant: “Black lives matter!” A handful of fireworks went off as they marched. Bloomberg reported the protesters unfurled a large black banner with the words “Remove Trump” in white all-caps letters.
The Los Angeles Police Department early Tuesday had called a “citywide tactical alert” to ensure enough officers are on hand to address any incidents on Election Day.” Shortly after 8 p.m. local time, the department announced it was attempting to disperse a “large and unruly crowd.”
Several dozen protesters faced off against officers in riot gear. They had been among about 100 demonstrators who marched Pershing Square, then to Staples Center to a light-rail station a few blocks away where officers formed a skirmish line. Several arrests were reported.
In Chicago, one of the bridges near downtown’s Trump Tower had been lifted over the Chicago River-a common sight in recent months amid incidents of looting or unrest in the city. The move has been used to restrict access to downtown.
Video of the Illinois National Guard pulling into the city’s downtown McCormick Place Convention Center circulated on social media Monday night, sparking concern among some.
Protesters clashed outside of the White House and in other cities throughout Election night and Wednesday morning, with emotions flaring and dozens of arrests reported.
Dozens marched through streets in Los Angeles and crowds of 200 or more were in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Portland, Oregon. Minnesota saw more than a dozen arrests.
Tempers flared as the evening wore on, with President Trump perhaps adding fuel to the fire by making a statement that he thinks the election is rigged. He made the comment while Biden held a slight lede in the race but with several key states remaining to be counted.
“This is fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country . .. . Frankly, we did win the election,” Trump said. It’s unclear whether his comment caused protests to escalate.
The Washington, D.C., protest, despite a mostly peaceful atmosphere, had pockets of confrontation as the night wore on. Pushing and shoving between protesters could be seen, and police in the area sought to disperse the crowd, with smoke filling the air from an unidentified source.
CBS News reporter Christina Ruffini shared a video of what she called “some sort of smoke bomb” being used at the protest and said people were “just fighting.” Scuffles at the scene were broken up quickly.
Other reports of confrontation surfaced Tuesday. A man wearing a shirt supporting incumbent President Donald Trump challenged a protester to a fight in a situation that was diffused by police, according to the New York Times.
The outlet also reported a man was hit with a bat after he shouted “all lives matter” and a protester who was chanting “Black lives matter.” Bystanders broke up that confrontation, The New York Times reported.
A D.C. Metropolitan Police Department spokesman said so far, one arrest had been made as of just before 10 p.m. An adult male was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, crossing a police line and resisting arrest.
Shortly before midnight, dozens of black-clad protesters began marching west from Black Lives Matter Plaza, using megaphones to chant: “Black lives matter!” A handful of fireworks went off as they marched. Bloomberg reported the protesters unfurled a large black banner with the words “Remove Trump” in white all-caps letters.
The Los Angeles Police Department early Tuesday had called a “citywide tactical alert” to ensure enough officers are on hand to address any incidents on Election Day.” Shortly after 8 p.m. local time, the department announced it was attempting to disperse a “large and unruly crowd.”
Several dozen protesters faced off against officers in riot gear. They had been among about 100 demonstrators who marched Pershing Square, then to Staples Center to a light-rail station a few blocks away where officers formed a skirmish line. Several arrests were reported.
In Chicago, one of the bridges near downtown’s Trump Tower had been lifted over the Chicago River-a common sight in recent months amid incidents of looting or unrest in the city. The move has been used to restrict access to downtown.
Video of the Illinois National Guard pulling into the city’s downtown McCormick Place Convention Center circulated on social media Monday night, sparking concern among some.
