There are some protesters making life difficult for the many out in Washington, D.C. who wanted a peaceful protest of the Trump inaugural, resulting in the arrests of many.
Peaceful protests were underway this morning, with an LGBT dance party blocking one of the inaugural entries, NoDAPL protesters marching, and more.
But at some point, rocks and bricks started being thrown by unknown participants, causing police to use tear gas and arrest nearly 100 people.
After the swearing in, protesters arrived at the Franklin Square area and clashed with police. The protesters were throwing rocks, bricks and chunks of concrete and taking newspaper boxes and barriers and putting them on the streets. Meanwhile police appeared to be using a flurry of flash-bang grenades and chemical spray to hold the protesters back, pushing them block-by-block west along K Street, from 12th Street toward 14th Street.
During the clash after 2 p.m., the protesters started a fire in the middle of the street using garbage bins and newspaper boxes, and some climbed trees and light poles. About 100 officers in riot gear, carrying shields, stood in a line blocking off K Street.
“It’s a little jarring when you’re in a peaceful march with drumming and chanting and the next thing you know flash bangs are going off around you,” said Daniel Hultquist, a protester from Rhode Island. “People that throw rocks and bricks are undermining the cause.”
The rocks and bricks undermine the cause and play right into Trump's hands. Hmmm. This is a better statement than violence:
And this is the prevailing sentiment:
