*Folks protesting the election of Donald Trump have taken to the streets of Washington D.C. in droves.
What began this morning as peaceful demonstrations against the inauguration grew increasingly volatile throughout the day, with a self-described group of about 100 “anarchists” dressed in black joining in — tossing rocks and bottles, smashing the windows of cars and business and lighting fires in the streets. Watch below:
Rioters smashing @Starbucks and @BankofAmerica windows @nbcwashington @cnnireport pic.twitter.com/VeXqGF5t5q
— Josh Clothiaux (@jclothiaux11) January 20, 2017
Man tells me he hid under table in this Starbucks when mob of protesters began to throw bricks and smash windows pic.twitter.com/ZHncErD1vr
— Dave Lawler (@DavidLawler10) January 20, 2017
D.C. police responded with tear gas and pepper spray in the clashes, which are taking place just blocks away from the parade route.
Approximately 90 people have been arrested, and at least two police officers have been hospitalized, according to reports.
Ronald Dye, 56, told The Telegraph that he hid under tables at Starbucks as 300 to 400 protesters swept past, some stopping to throw bricks.
“They started throwing bricks at first, then they started throwing the trash bin but that didn’t work, then they picked up metal spikes and just started smashing the windows out,” he said. “They had all that stuff in their backpacks.”
Dye is the chief of police at Talledega College, which made headlines for its marching band being one of the few from an historically black college to accept Trump’s invitation to perform in the Inaugural parade. Dye travelled to D.C. with students to watch the band perform.
“We just got up under the tables. That’s the only thing we could do,” Dye said.
Watch live coverage from DC’s Fox 5 or NBC 4 below:
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