Police clashed with angry demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, during the second day of nationwide protests against US President-elect Donald Trump
The demonstration turned violent on Thursday night as several thousand demonstrators took to the streets.
As shop and car windows were smashed, the police declared a riot, citing “extensive criminal and dangerous behavior” and tweeting that they were getting increasing reports of vandalism and aggressive behavious as people marched through the city. They labeled some protesters “anarchists.”
Press TV reports:
Police used flash bangs and fired tear gas to disperse Portland protesters who threw objects at them. A number of protesters have also been arrested in the process.
Trump took to twitter on Thursday night to hit back at protesters, calling them “professionals incited by the media.” Trump supporters say the protesters are not respecting the democratic process.
This tweet also comes after The New York Times reported his aides took control of his Twitter account during his presidential campaign hoping to tame his controversial Internet presence.
Earlier in the day, demonstrators took to the streets in cities across the United States to protest against Trump’s victory in the November 8 presidential election, voicing concerns that he will strike a blow against civil rights.
In the state of California, hundreds of high school and university students on Thursday walked out of classes to join other protesters who held demonstrations in the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Police arrested dozens of protesters in both cities. Similar rallies were held in Minneapolis, New York, Washington, DC, and Texas.
A number of demonstrators marched from the White House, where Trump held his first transition meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday, to the Trump International Hotel some blocks away.
The protesters were carrying signs against racism and in favor of unity. They were also chanting “love Trumps hate.”
“This generation deserves better than Donald Trump,” said Lily Morton, 17, who joined classmates from the Georgetown Day School. “The queer people, colored people, women, girls, everyone that is going to be affected by this, we need to protest to help them.”
Tens of thousands of protesters, including school and college students, held demonstrations in more than a dozen major US cities, including in New York, Los Angeles and Oakland, California on Wednesday.
The protesters slammed Trump’s controversial campaign rhetoric about undocumented immigrants, Muslims and other groups.