Pro-Trump demonstrators clash with police, counter-protesters in Washington amid protest over election results
Dec 13, 2020
Washington [US], December 13 : Pro-Trump demonstrators clashed with counter-protesters and police in Washington on Saturday evening after groups of US President Donald Trump's supporters marched to protest the outcome of the 2020 US presidential elections.
The demonstrators in the US capital marked the second time since November 3 that Trump supporters flocked to Washington to protest President-elect Joe Biden's victory and called for the results to be overturned, reported The Hill.
Organisers had planned demonstrations in front of the Supreme Court, Capitol and the Department of Justice as part of the events scheduled for the day.
Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn also made an appearance in front of the Supreme Court and made a speech to the crowd gathered at the site.
"Wow! Thousands of people forming in Washington (D.C.) for Stop the Steal. Didn't know about this, but I'll be seeing them! #MAGA," Trump tweeted, acknowledging the group.
Videos and pictures posted to social media depicted what appeared to be groups of Proud Boys, a self-described "Western chauvinist" group, facing off against counter-protesters in Black Lives Matter Plaza. Members of the Proud Boys were dressed in bulletproof vests, according to The Washington Post.
People threw fireworks, causing loud explosions while police in riot gear stepped in to disperse the protesting crowd.
Police also used smoke bombs to subdue tension rising outside a Washington hotel, according to footage shared from the scene on Twitter.
According to Washington Post, at least six people were arrested Saturday, but none of those stemmed from Covid-19 regulations.
The demonstration comes after the US Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by Texas' attorney general seeking to block vote count in four battleground states that favoured Biden.
Trump later expressed disappointment at the top court's refusal to challenge presidential vote results.
"The Supreme Court really let us down. No Wisdom, No Courage," the incumbent President lashed out on Twitter.
Following a series of legal defeats, the US President has refocused his efforts on pressing state lawmakers to replace Biden electors with those who support him and urging members of Congress to decline to certify the election results in January, The Hill reported.
