These protesters are flooding the streets of DC to stand against Donald Trump's inauguration

By Rafi Schwartz  |  January 20, 2017 | 2:53pm
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Thousands of people have flooded Washington to protest Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration as the 45th president of the United States.

With nearly a million people expected to descend on DC overall this weekend, at least 30 rallies have been granted permits for the coming days. And by Friday morning, many protesters had already hit the streets. One activist group, DisruptJ20, told CNN it intended to protest at all the security checkpoints surrounding the National Mall—beyond which only inauguration ticket-holders are allowed.

“We’re really trying to set a tone of resistance for the coming years,” DisruptJ20 organizer Lacy MacAuley told the network. “Donald Trump represents a shift in our politics in a dangerous, harmful, exclusionary direction. We oppose those policies of hate.”

Protesters representing the Black Lives Matter movement were also on hand, at one point chaining themselves together in a makeshift wall to block access to the inauguration.

LGBTQ activists also staged an impromptu dance party, echoing a similar protest that took place outside the new residence of Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday night.

Also marching were Dakota Access Oil Pipeline protesters, who brought their environmental message from Standing Rock down to the streets of Washington, DC.

And there were llamas, courtesy of farmer advocacy group Just Us Riders.


Friday’s protests come after a contentious clash between protesters and law enforcement at Thursday night’s “Deploraball.” There, activists were pepper sprayed by police, while rallying outside the National Press Club, while Trump supporters like Peter Thiel and Roger Stone reveled inside.

Saturday will likely see the largest anti-Trump protest, as thousands are expected to take to the streets of DC for the Women’s March on Washington. Speakers scheduled for that event include Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards, actress Scarlett Johansson, and feminist icon Gloria Steinem.

 
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