Antifa protesters armed with SHIELDS take to the streets of Manhattan amid fears of more violence as Trump supporters ‘target Biden inauguration’ after storming of the Capitol
- Dozens of protesters marched through New York City, with one dressed in police uniform with a pig’s head
- March was mostly peaceful but one Trump supporter claimed she was attacked by protesters while filming
- It comes amid fears of further violence after Donald Trump incited last week’s mob attack on the Capitol
Antifa protesters wearing helmets and carrying riot shields marched through the streets of Manhattan on Sunday amid fears of further political violence after last week’s deadly mob attack by Donald Trump supporters at the Capitol.
Dozens of protesters marched through Times Square in New York City with at least one waving a Black Lives Matter flag and another dressed in a mock police uniform with a pig’s head.
One woman held a placard saying ‘Trump Lost! Fascists Get Out!’ and ‘Trump/Pence Out Now’ amid calls for the president to be impeached a second time for inciting the Capitol riot.
While the march appeared mostly peaceful, one hardline Trump supporter claimed she was ‘assaulted’ by protesters who allegedly egged her and harassed her with an umbrella while she tried to film the protest.
An Antifa group in New York claimed the march as as an ‘anti-fascist victory’ after few Trump supporters turned out to challenge them, saying that ‘MAGA and the Proud Boys didn’t show up because we mobilized’.
Fears of renewed violence have led to a crackdown by social media giants against Trump and some of his supporters, with last week’s siege raising concerns over what will happen at next week’s Biden inauguration.
March: Antifa protesters wearing helmets and carrying riot shields march through Times Square on Sunday in a protest that came amid calls for Donald Trump’s resignation or removal after last week’s violence at the Capitol
Show of force: The black-clad protesters marched through the streets of New York City in a protest which they hailed as an ‘anti-fascist victory’ because MAGA and Proud Boys rivals failed to show up
Face to face: A protester wearing a mock police uniform and a pig’s head holds a microphone towards an NYPD officer on a bicycle during Sunday’s Antifa protest in Manhattan
The NYC protest came a day after clashes between Trump supporters and Antifa protesters in San Diego, where rocks, bottles and eggs were thrown at police during what was declared an unlawful assembly.
Television footage showed black-clad Antifa protesters throwing a folding chair and spraying a chemical irritant at another group of people on the Pacific Beach boardwalk.
In Washington, the Capitol has been surrounded by fencing after the Trump-supporting mob overran the scaffolding that had been put up ahead of Biden’s swearing in on January 20.
The inauguration has already been scaled back because of the pandemic and is further out of the ordinary because Trump will not be attending to see his successor take the oath.
Eye to eye: One protester lowered his mask to harangue a police officer during Sunday’s protest, which comes amid fears of further political violence ahead of the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on January 20
Equipped: The Antifa protesters brought helmets, goggles and matching riot shields to their march on Sunday, with some of them carrying Black Lives Matter paraphernalia
Protest: A man wearing a purple ski mask dragged an American flag over a pedestrian crossing during Sunday’s march
Washington’s mayor has asked for increased security around the inauguration amid fears that far-right extremists are planning further violence.
More than 6,000 members of the National Guard from Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland will help support the Capitol Police and other law enforcement in Washington for the next 30 days.
The Secret Service is also overseeing security at the event along with other federal agencies including the Department of Defense.
Biden told reporters on Friday that he has ‘great confidence in the Secret Service’ and their ability to make sure the inauguration ‘goes off safely.’
On the streets: A New York Antifa group praised the shield-bearing protesters who ‘turned out, kept each other safe, marched, played music, chanted, and showed the world that the far-right is never, ever welcome here’
Masked protesters carried a banner saying ‘United Against Racism and Fascism, NYC’ past a Barclays building in Manhattan
WASHINGTON: The Capitol is seen through a fence on Sunday amid heightened security ahead of next week’s inauguration
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