Thousands of angry demonstrators from coast to coast took to the streets of US cities on Wednesday night to protest against the election of Donald Trump. Dozens of people were arrested during the rallies, many of which targeted Trump’s properties.
In Trump’s home city of New York, thousands of demonstrators marched from Union Square to the president-elect’s residence at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, blocking streets and prompting police to erect barricades.
Other protesters gathered at Trump International Hotel and a Manhattan park, shouting “Not my president!” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho Donald Trump has got to go!” Many held signs reading “Trump Makes America Hate” and “Impeach Trump.” Some climbed vehicles and light poles.
At least 65 people were arrested in Manhattan, according to NBC New York.
On the West Coast, demonstrators in Los Angeles assembled at the 110 and 101 highway interchange, blocking traffic. Many shouted “Hands up, don't shoot!” at police.
Images posted online showed a mock-up of Trump’s head being burned, along with a Trump campaign sign.
Police in riot gear were deployed and 13 protesters were arrested, according to local media. An earlier rally and march in the city was attended by more than 5,000 people, many of them high school and college students.
Further north in California, more than 6,000 protesters took to the streets of Oakland, burning trash in the middle of an intersection, setting off fireworks, and smashing store windows. They also threw objects at riot police. Two officers were injured and two squad cars were damaged, Oakland police spokesperson Johnna Watson told CNN.
In response, officers threw chemical irritants at the protesters, a witness told Reuters.
Around 1,800 protesters came out in Chicago, gathering outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower. They chanted phrases including “No Trump! No KKK! No racist USA!”
Police closed roads in the area, restricting the demonstrators’ path.
Other demonstrations also took place in Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Washington DC, Seattle, and Austin.
The angry protesters were rallying against Trump’s rhetoric, including a pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border in order to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country. They also protested the “extreme vetting” of Muslims entering the US, with some shouting “Don’t give in to racist fear, Muslims are welcome here!”
Some could be heard urging an end to the Electoral College, stressing that Clinton won the popular vote on Tuesday.