Multiple people were stabbed on Saturday night (local time) as violence escalated in Washington following competing protests between Donald Trump's supporters, including the far-right Proud Boys, and the far-left Antifa over the recently held presidential elections.
The police informed the media that at least four people in Washington, DC. The president's supporters had gathered in the afternoon to denounce the results of the 2020 election -- baselessly decried as fraudulent for weeks by Trump, the police added.
The stabbings took place in the area of 11th Street Northwest and F Street Northwest, about four blocks west of the White House. All four patients are in critical condition, the police said. Two police officers were also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
In addition, the D.C. mayor's office said at least 23 people have been arrested as of 9 p.m. (local time). Those arrests included 10 for simple assault, six for assaults on a police officer, four for riotous acts, two for crossing a police line and one for possession of a prohibited weapon (a stun gun).
Meanwhile, across the country in Olympia, Washington, a person was shot during similar protests on Saturday.
What Is Antifa?
As President Trump is in the final days of leaving behind his presidential seat, a loosely affiliated group of far-left anti-fascism activists, known as "antifa," has been the focus of a series of misleading rumours and false claims.
Seeking to assign blame for the protests against racial injustice that spread across the United States this summer, Trump has said that the United States would designate 'Antifa' as a terrorist organization. The president's critics noted, however, that the country does not have a domestic terrorism law and that Antifa, a contraction of the phrase "anti-fascist," is not an organization with a leader, a defined structure or membership roles.
Rather, Antifa is more of a loose movement of activists whose secret followers share some philosophies and tactics. They have made their presence known at protests around the country in recent years, including the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, in 2017.
Trump has also sought to tie Biden to "radical left" groups, including Antifa — even though the latter opposes defunding the police, has repeatedly condemned violence and property damage associated with the protests, and has called for "arsonists and anarchists" to be prosecuted.
The White Supremacists
In helmets and bulletproof vests, hundreds of men marched through downtown in military-like rows, shouting "move out" and "1776!" They seemed intent on intimidating onlookers and adopted a chant popular with counter-protesters: "Whose streets? Our streets."
Proud Boys and pro-Trump demonstrators repeatedly faced off with counter-protesters near Black Lives Matter Plaza, Franklin Square, Harry's Bar — a hangout popular with Trump supporters — and other spots around downtown, claiming without evidence the presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.
Police moved in quickly to separate them, using pepper spray on members of both sides, witnesses said.
Many wore combat fatigues, black and yellow shirts and ballistic vests, carried helmets and flashed hand signals used by white nationalists. After dark fell, the protesters — including members of the aggressive far-left anti-fascism movement — splintered into smaller groups to roam the streets in search of their rivals.
Conceding defeat
Protests were also held in other communities around the country, including Atlanta, Georgia, another state where Trump's campaign has sought to overturn Joe Biden's election victory, and Mobile, Alabama, according to local news coverage.
Local media in the Washington state capital of Olympia reported one person was shot and three were arrested after clashes between pro and anti-Trump protest groups.
More than 50 federal and state court rulings have upheld Joe Biden's election victory.
On Friday, the US Supreme Court rejected a long-shot lawsuit filed by Texas and backed by Trump seeking to throw out voting results in four states.
However, Trump playing, again and again, the story of his reckless behaviour has refused to concede defeat, alleging without evidence he was denied victory by massive fraud.
