Clashes erupted in Washington after a rally in support of incumbent President Donald Trump, NBC News reported.
The rally in support of Trump began on the afternoon of November 14. The participants were greeted by the president himself, who waved them from the car window. The demonstrators protested against the results of the US presidential elections and demanded an end to the “theft of votes.”
By evening, opponents of Trump also took to the streets. As a result, clashes occurred in Washington, police arrested 20 people. One person was stabbed, The New York Times reported. Two more police officers were injured, writes The Washington Post.
Clashes and brawls continued in Washington all night, with protesters also lighting bonfires in Freedom Square. In a restaurant near the White House, Trump supporters were pelted with bottles and fired at them fireworks, USA Today correspondent reported on Twitter.
By nightfall, Trump's opponents took away the red caps and flags of the president's supporters and set them on fire, WP reported.
The president himself accused the members of the Antifa movement of the attacks on his supporters. It unites left-wing and left-wing radical parties and organizations, the goal of which is the fight against fascism, neo-Nazism and racism.
Trump demanded that the police more actively fight the attacks of left-wing radicals. “The Antifa scoundrels today ran away when they tried to attack the pro-Trump rally because these people fought back. Antifa waited for the evening when 99% dispersed to attack innocent people from MAGA (Trump's Make America Great Again. – RBC ). DC Police, get down to business and do your job! ” – he wrote on Twitter. Trump later added that the police were late and the city's mayor was “not doing his job.”
The US presidential election was held on November 3. The vote count is still in progress, but the mainstream US media announced the victory of Democratic candidate Joe Biden. He himself also announced that he won the elections.
Trump disagrees. He did not admit defeat and said that the elections were “far from over.” In particular, the President has repeatedly argued that numerous violations were committed by the Democrats during the voting. In some key states, Trump's headquarters have demanded a recount through the courts.
