The Trump regimen worked towards eliminating any remanence of the Obama-era policies and aimed to sculpt a new branding scheme for American politics. While President Trump spent time with the members of Congress in the Capitol, the police battled protesters in order to prevent them from interfering in the parade route. Hillary Clinton, who lost the presidency despite winning the popular vote by approximately three million, was present at her former rival’s swearing-in.
An audience comprised of 30.6 million people tuned in to watch Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. An impressive turnout that was just shy of the 37.7 million people who watched Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009.
In his address, Mr. Trump explained his plans for a “new vision” for the United States of America. He plans to focus his changes on infrastructure, crime, and terrorism. He proclaimed that “from this day forward, it is going to be only America First, America First.”
Nevertheless, the forty-fifth President of the United States of America was not greeted with welcoming faces by all. A group of black-clad activists among myriads of others protested Donald Trump’s swearing-in on Friday. These activists clashed with police forces located close to the White House—a spectacle rare for an inauguration. Approximately two-hundred and seventeen people were arrested.
Groups of activists in black clothes and masks threw rocks and bottles at officers dressed in riot gear. The officers lashed back with stun grenades and tear gas as a helicopter flew overhead. At one point during the event, a protester tossed an object into a passing police van’s window. Activists used baseball bats to shatter the windows of Bank of America and a McDonald’s. A black limousine, among other vehicles, was set ablaze. Garbage cans were dragged into the streets only blocks away from the White House and set on fire and the iconic red caps embossed with “Make America Great Again” were burned. Six officers were injured during a tiff with the protesters. Those arrested were held overnight and will appear in court on Saturday.
Varying protest groups scattered throughout the city, rhythmically chanting anti-Trump slogans in unison. They carried signs with slogans, including “Trump is not President” and “Make Racists Afraid Again.”
Ben Allen, a 69-year-old retired teacher from California says, “Trump is not going to be stopped at the top, he’s going to be stopped from the bottom, from people rising up.” He later added, “We support the right of everybody in this country, no matter what nationality, what religion, the color of their skin, to be respected as a human being, and this guy doesn’t respect anybody.”
