More Anti-Trump Protests Get Underway After Peaceful Protests Marred By Shooting, 'Riot'

Citizens took to the streets Saturday in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles for another round of anti-Donald Trump protests after mostly peaceful demonstrations turned to a "riot" and shooting in Portland and hundreds of marchers were arrested around the country for blocking traffic. More protests were anticipated Saturday night in additional cities.

In New York, protesters marched from Union Square up Fifth Avenue, prompting police to send a notice warning of traffic delays in the area of Trump Tower. Police later blocked off a good chunk of the area around the president-elect's home. Thousands gathered in Los Angeles' MacArthur Park to march to the downtown area, bringing together the largest demonstration in the city since the election. Chicago's demonstration began in the city's Millenium Park before heading north toward Trump Tower and continuing down Michigan Avenue. Organizers in Chicago urged demonstrators to be peaceful and are coordinating and communicating with police regarding their route during the march.

In Vice President-elect Mike Pence's home state of Indiana, protesters took to the streets of Indianapolis, where police say at least two officers were injured after protesters threw rocks at them. Police also said that three people had been arrested. In Portland, Oregon, where the protests have been marked with unruly behavior and violence, police said protesters were being asked to move to the sidewalks on Saturday as marching in the streets is illegal and could subject demonstrators to arrest. Police also reported that protesters were throwing projectiles at officers and were sitting in the street and blocking traffic.

Unhappy with the result of Tuesday's election, thousands of citizens from across the country have united in the days and nights since then with chants of "not my president," and "we reject the president-elect," whether it was in the streets of Chicago, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Portland, Baltimore or suburban Detroit.

Below are some scenes from Saturday's protests in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Thursday's protests in Portland were declared a riot and, while Friday's protest seemed to be proceeding peacefully, a man was shot on the city's Morrison Bridge. That followed the arrest of more than 200 protesters Thursday in Los Angeles for blocking a roadway and ignoring police orders to disperse.

Anti-Trump activists showed up in the hundreds again Friday night to protest in the streets of New York City, but barricades erected by the NYPD earlier in the day were blocking them from approaching Trump Tower. Friday's protesters began their demonstration at a daytime "love rally" at Washington Square Park, an event that organizers said was anti-Trump; its purpose was to tell those who he has targeted in his speech that they are welcome in this country, they said.

"As such, we're rallying in support of those demographics, not to protest a Trump presidency," organizers said.

By nightfall, though, Trump was definitely back in the crosshairs in cities around the nation.

In Royal Oak, Michigan, citizens rallied Friday as a response to a spontaneous incident Wednesday at school cafeteria, where some students began chanting "build the wall." Friday's rally was called "Stop Trump Royal Oak."

The same day protests broke out on the streets of Miami, where police said the demonstrators were mostly well behaved, though the rallies forced the closure for a time of major highways including I-95.

City officials in Portland spoke out against the violence Thursday night that ended in the protest being declared a riot.

"Riots and violence in our streets are completely unacceptable. I hope that all Portlanders will help our local small businesses recover," Mayor Charlie Hales said.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the right to free expression is "one of our greatest privileges as Americans" but added that unlawful, dangerous behavior won't be tolerated. New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said it was a tradition to honor and respect peaceful protests.

Main image via Sarah Kaufman/Patch

This report was put together with reporting from Patch editors from across our network.