Police: ‘Numerous’ arrests at DC anti-Trump protests

Police say they have arrested “numerous” people involved in protests Friday against President Trump, according to The Associated Press.

Police in Washington, D.C. told the AP Friday that those arrested were charged with rioting following incidents involving a group of about 100 protesters.

Authorities did not specify how many arrests they made Friday, but acting Police Chief Peter Newsham told NBC 4 Washington that 95 total arrests had been made.

{mosads}D.C. Fire Department spokesman Vito Maggiolo, meanwhile, told CNN that two D.C. police officers and one unrelated person were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The demonstrators damaged vehicles, destroyed property and set small fires while armed with crowbars and hammers, officials added.

The AP said police were forced to deploy pepper spray during the chaos, which occurred blocks away from Trump’s inauguration on the National Mall.

Journalists on the scene of the confrontation described it as a wild fracas.

W7VOA Reporter Steve Herman, for example, noted the presence of D.C.’s National Guard as protesters lit trash cans on fire.

The Wall Street Journal’s Byron Tau, meanwhile, said police were “firing round after round of flash-bangs at the center of K St., making it sound like a war-zone.” 

Now there's a garbage fire being started on 13th and K Street. #Inauguration @postlocal pic.twitter.com/gCkL4jjbpC

— Martine Powers (@martinepowers) January 20, 2017

Fire is growing at 13/K (Franklin Square), just outside the Post pic.twitter.com/SdeDiHeRb7

— Faiz Siddiqui (@faizsays) January 20, 2017

Presence of @NationalGuard now seen around 12th & K where violent clashes continue. #Inauguration2017 pic.twitter.com/ZFi3mgNP7G

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) January 20, 2017

Police hosing protesters. Mailbox flipped over in middle of K Street. Pic from WaPo HQ pic.twitter.com/mf2rY5iZLJ

— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) January 20, 2017

Police firing non-lethal weapons on the corner of 12th and K. pic.twitter.com/UbgHpIJh6U

— Byron Tau (@ByronTau) January 20, 2017