DC Police deployed tear gas on Donald Trump protesters who had gathered outside the President-elect’s pre-inaugural party, the ‘DeploraBall’.
Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police clashed with the large crowd that gathered outside of the sold-out event at the National Press Club Thursday evening.
RT’s Alexander Rubinstein, who was at the scene, reported being hit by a pepper spray grenade and said the entire block filled with gas as protesters and riot police came to blows.
READ MORE: Trump supporter punched in the head at ‘Deporaball’ (VIDEO)
In an attempt to break up the demonstrators, officers deployed tear gas and pepper spray grenades – in response, protesters threw posters, water balloons and even a bike at police.
The inauguration party was attended by 1,000 so-called “deplorables”, a label Trump supporters have embraced since Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign trail remark that "you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables."
READ MORE: Massive anti-Trump protest at #DeploraBall in DC ahead of inauguration