PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – From New York to Illinois to California, in red states as well as blue, protesters decrying Donald Trump’s election spent another night overtaking highways, smashing store windows, igniting fires and in at least one city, facing pepper spray and rubber projectiles from police trying to clear the streets.
The demonstrations stretched into a third straight night Thursday and came to a head in Portland, Oregon, where thousands marched and chanted, “We reject the president-elect!” while some lit firecrackers and sparked a dumpster blaze.
Officers began physically pushing back against the crowd that at times threw objects at them, making 26 arrests and using flash-bang devices and types of smoke or tear gas to force people to disperse.
Trump himself fired back, tweeting: “Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!”
In Portland, police termed the protest a riot after some 4,000 protesters surged into the downtown area. After giving several orders to leave, officers fired what appeared to be rubber projectiles. It was not immediately clear if anyone was hit.