As the feeds below from Washington demonstrate, the violence is escalating in the form of clashes between protesters and D.C. police. Black-clad activists angry about U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration have smashed store car windows and blocked traffic in Washington on Friday and fought with police in riot gear who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

About 500 people, some wearing masks, marched through the city’s downtown, using hammers to claw up chunks of pavement to smash the windows of a Bank of America branch and a McDonald’s outlet, all symbols of the American capitalist system.

The crowd chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried signs with slogans including “Make Racists Afraid Again,” a play on the New York businessman-turned-politician’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan. The incident occurred about 90 minutes before Trump was sworn in at the Capitol a mile and a half (2.4 km) away.

According to Reuters, Washington police made “numerous” arrests on Friday after violent protests during Donald Trump’s inauguration, with individuals being charged with rioting, the city’s police department said. “Pepper spray and other control devices were used to control the criminal actors and protect persons and property,” the department said in a statement. The statement added that two police officers had sustained minor injuries from “coordinated attacks” and that police vehicles were damaged.

Two police officers sustained minor injuries from people who were trying to avoid arrest, police said.

“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 Roman Catholic aid worker from Des Moines, Iowa, who was part of the protest but did not participate in the violence.

Not far from the White House, protesters scuffled with police, at one point throwing aluminum chairs at an outdoor café. Bob Hrifko, a member of the “Bikers for Trump” group in town to celebrate the inauguration, was struck in the face when he tried to intervene.

“I know, law and order and all that. We need more order. This ain’t right,” said Hrifko, who was bleeding from a cut under his eye.

Trump supporters Chris and Karen Korthaus, who carried a life-size cardboard cutout 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.

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Last night we noted that anti-Trump protesters had their first confrontation with police as American’s violent, disaffected youth threw eggs at guests and set fires outside of Trump International Hotel as people attempted to make their way to the new administration’s “Deploraball.”  But with the inauguration now over, protesters are showing no signs of slowing down as chaotic scenes of rioters destroying private property are flooding twitter.

 

Meanwhile, here is video of “DisruptJ20” protesters following through on the exact strategy to “blockade checkpoints” that Project Veritas exposed in a series of undercover videos posted just a couple of days ago.

 

And here are some of the protest scenes from last night.

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