Across the country on Saturday, supporters of President Trump gathered for rallies that had been dubbed “March 4 Trump.” In many locations, however, these gatherings were marred by violence from anti-Trump protesters who clashed with the pro-Trump crowd.
Things got particularly ugly in Berkley, California, once the home of the free speech movement. In a report from the San Francisco Chronicle:
The fighting Saturday started even before the event began, with people throwing punches, swinging signs and tossing smoke bombs. Hundreds of people filled the park, with anarchists and counter-demonstrators far outnumbering what rally sponsors estimated were 60 to 75 Trump supporters…In the park, people opposed to Trump threw eggs and burned both American flags and the red “Make America Great Again” Trump campaign hats.
Both professional and citizen journalists were on-hand to document the violent tactics taken by the anti-Trump crowd in Berkley.
Pro-#Trump rally turns #violent at #Berkeley,California😡It happened in dozens of other rallies across the country🇺🇸 too👎 pic.twitter.com/fYIYsCfGuV
— Amit Singh (@7414amit) March 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/838446414187225088
https://twitter.com/GillianNBC/status/838167103072935936
Things got particularly ugly when an elderly Trump supporter was sprayed in the face with pepper spray by anti-Trump protesters.
🆘‼️😡🔥 Asocial leftists attacking an older trump supporter with pepper spray. How brave! Try this with bikers and other patriots! pic.twitter.com/whzgdaqE00
— Onlinemagazin Ⓥ (@OnlineMagazin) March 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/kiarafrobles/status/838174244269744128
Berkley police arrested ten people at this protest, according to reports.
These numbers are comparable to reports from other cities:
Six people protesting the rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, were arrested on felony riot charges after they lit fireworks inside the Minnesota State Capitol and fled, police said. About 400 people attended the St. Paul event, and about 50 showed up to protest it.
In Olympia, Washington, the state patrol says four demonstrators were arrested Saturday at a rally in support of Trump, KOMO-TV reported. Authorities did not say if the people arrested were pro-Trump or anti-Trump. The station reports that the demonstrators are accused of assaulting a police officer.
The scene in St. Paul looked similar to the one in Berkley.
Leftist protesters in St. Paul, Minnesota were savagely fighting, using pepper spray & tasers! #March4Trump pic.twitter.com/VuvNLPUAb6
— Woke Mind Virus (TM) 🤡🌎 (@OcrazioCornPop) March 5, 2017