dc protest clash
Members of the Proud Boys and counter-protesters stand off near Black Lives Matter Plaza on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
  • Clashes broke out between protesters, counter-protesters, and police following a day of pro-Trump rallies in Washington DC on Saturday.
  • The DC Mayor’s office said at least 23 arrests were made and at least eight people were hospitalized, local Fox 5 DC reported.
  • Two days before the electoral college vote is expected to solidify President-elect Joe Biden’s win, thousands demonstrated in support of President Donald Trump earlier on Saturday.
  • Hundreds of members of the far-right Proud Boys were in attendance and were seen facing off with black-clad counter-protesters and vandalizing “Black Lives Matter” flags.
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Clashes broke out between protesters, counter-protesters, and police on Saturday night, leaving multiple injuries and nearly two dozen arrests following a day of pro-Trump rallies in Washington, DC.

Two days before the electoral college vote is expected to solidify President-elect Joe Biden’s win, thousands demonstrated in support of President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the election.

The march was largely made up of people who defended the president’s unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud and refused to acknowledge that Biden won the election.

Hundreds of members of the Proud Boys were in attendance as well, and could be seen in videos marching while chanting “fuck antifa.” The far-right group is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

 

Later in the evening, pro-Trump protesters and Proud Boys clashed with black-clad counter-protesters near Black Lives Matter Plaza and other areas of DC. The Washington Post reported at least six people were arrested during the protests earlier on Saturday.

The DC Mayor's office said at least 23 arrests were made related to the protests, and at least eight people were hospitalized, local Fox 5 DC reported. Two of those hospitalized were reportedly police officers.

Videos shared on social media showed the confrontations between the groups, as well as police intervening and people being arrested.

Other video showed members of the Proud Boys pulling down, tearing, or burning "Black Lives Matter" signs.

 

The pro-Trump rally occured one day after the Supreme Court rejected a bid to overturn the election results. It was the latest in a string of defeats for the Trump campaign and other Republican officials who have mounted a flurry of legal challenges to no avail.

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