An anti-Trump protestor was shot Saturday in Olympia, the capital of Washington State, while four persons were stabbed in Washington D.C. amid a series of nationwide protests staged by supporters of President Donald Trump.
The casualties were incurred as pro-Trump, and anti-Trump protestors fought it out in street battles after the U.S. Supreme Court Friday evening dismissed a Texas lawsuit seeking to overturn Trump's defeat in the November 3 election.
Hotheads on both sides led by the right-wing Proud Boys and the left-wing Antifa let their fists settle their grievances in repeated clashes near the Washington State Capitol Campus on Saturday. Both sides also tangled with officers of the Olympia Police Department and the Washington State Patrol, who made three arrests. Two officers were injured in the fight against protestors.
Clashes in the morning led to the arrest of one man on suspicion of a weapons violation. Two more people were arrested on suspicion of felony assault in Union Avenue and Capitol Way.
"We've had sporadic confrontations between groups throughout the day," said Sgt. Darren Wright of the Washington State Patrol.
He said someone was shot as both groups faced-off at Sid Snyder Avenue. He said the suspected shooter had been arrested. On the other hand, the victim (an anti-Trump protestor) was transported to an area hospital. Not much is currently known about the suspect and victim.
Video of the shooting's aftermath shows the wounded victim sprawled on the ground as another person with a handgun walks across a parking lot.
The shooting occurred after Antifa, and other anti-Trumpers again fought Proud Boy/Trump supporters near the Capitol Campus about 12:30 p.m., said the Olympia police. Police declared a riot and ordered protestors to disperse.
State police used flash grenades and tear gas to scatter protest groups of both sides at the state Capitol Campus. Police said the Antifa fighters numbered about 100 men compared to half that number of Trump supporters.
"Both groups were heavily armed, including firearms," said Lt. Paul Lower of the Olympia Police Department. "They were fighting amongst themselves, two factions with opposing political beliefs."
The violence was worse in Washington D.C. Fights between pro-Trump and anti-Trump groups after sundown Saturday saw four people being stabbed while 23 others were arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The bloody violence followed a daylight hours rally by a few thousand pro-Trump supporters backing Trump's desperate efforts to subvert the election he lost to Joe Biden with unsubstantiated claims of massive voter fraud.
Up to 10,000 Trump supporters last demonstrated in Washington D.C., a Democrat stronghold, on November 14. They returned Saturday in far fewer numbers but were met the same frosty reception from residents of the predominantly Democrat city.
Sporadic fights broke out between mostly unmasked pro-Trump and anti-Trump demonstrators after sundown Saturday. Local media said four people were taken to a hospital with stab wounds. On the other hand, the Metropolitan Police Department said 23 people were arrested.
The demonstration by Trump loyalists was a show of force just two days before the Electoral College meets on Monday to formally elect Biden as the 46th president. Trump still refuses to concede while fostering baseless fraud claims that have been rejected by state and federal courts for the past month.
Trump has lost close to 60 lawsuits in his quixotic attempt to overturn the election results and have Republican state legislatures in four swing states he lost install him as president.
