Protesters were blasted with tear gas after violence erupted across Washington ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Black clad protesters tore through downtown Washington, smashing store and car windows and symbols of capitalist America. Windows from a Bank of America branch, a Starbucks and a McDonald’s restaurant were among the targets. There were clashes with police in riot gear who used flash grenades, tear gas and pepper spray to subdue and arrest members of the crowd. Journalists covering the protest were among those who were arrested. Russia Today’s Alexander Rubinstein reported being hit with a flash grenade before he was arrested, along with others. Reuters reports: About 500 people, some wearing masks, marched through the city’s downtown, using hammers to claw up chunks of pavement to smash the windows of a Bank of America branch and a McDonald’s outlet, all symbols of the American capitalist system. The crowd chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried signs with slogans including “Make Racists Afraid Again,” a play on the New York businessman-turned-politician’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan. The incident occurred about 90 minutes before Trump was sworn in at the Capitol a mile and a half (2.4 km) away. A group of about [...]
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