One week after many D.C. residents filled District streets to celebrate President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, thousands of Trump supporters assembled in D.C. to back the current president.
The “Million MAGA March” began noon Saturday at Freedom Plaza and proceeded to the Supreme Court for a rally.
Speakers there included conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Counterprotesters greeted them, and despite the presence of violent far-right groups like the Proud Boys, police managed to maintain the peace.
But as events wound down, there were multiple incidents Saturday evening not far from the White House — including one at the Capital Hilton Hotel and another outside a nearby restaurant, near the intersection of K and 16th streets Northwest.
An adult male was stabbed after a fight broke out between supporters and counter-protesters near 11th Street and New York Avenue at around 8:30 p.m., D.C. Fire and EMS said. He was transported to a local trauma center following the incident.
The day began with tension throughout the surrounding areas in downtown D.C. WTOP’s Ken Duffy told anchor Mike Murillo just after 2 p.m. that the situation became “very, very tense in a matter of seconds,” forcing police to call in backup.
Riot police could later be seen keeping protesters and counterprotesters apart during a standoff near the Supreme Court building along Maryland Avenue Northeast.
D.C. police declined to estimate the total crowd size but said 10 arrests were made, four of which were for firearms violations. (On Friday, police Chief Peter Newsham reminded protesters that carrying firearms is not allowed in the District.)
Some protesters marched under the banner of “Million MAGA March,” while others termed the event “The March for Trump” and “Stop the Steal DC.”
As things took shape late Saturday morning, President Trump himself greeted supporters while his motorcade made its way to Trump’s Loudoun County golf course.
Presidential motorcade drives through Freedom Plaza @WTOP pic.twitter.com/RgRev90251
— Melissa Howell (@Mhowell003) November 14, 2020
Motivating the crowd, of course, was Trump’s projected loss in the 2020 election, which they insist is not legitimate. Supporters told WTOP they want a “total recount.”
“We need the fraud to stop,” one said.
Another warned: “If push comes to shove, it’ll be a civil war.”
And another supporter, Rick, traveled to D.C. from South Carolina to back the president. He claimed there was “definitely some evidence of misconduct at least.”
The Trump campaign has yet to show real evidence of election fraud: Multiple legal efforts challenging the election have failed in courtrooms this week. And a statement Thursday from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said, “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised.”
Brothers Julian and Elian Contreas turned out Saturday to counterprotest because, in Elian’s words, they are “tired of fascism.”
“Trump is a symptom of something much more worse in America,” he said, citing discrepancies in money, class and race. “… We’re at a point where it’s going to get so bad, we’re going to hit a breaking point.
“I’m just tired. I’m out here ’cause I’m tired.”
Road closures
Emergency parking restrictions remain in place through Sunday at 11:59 p.m. at the following locations …
- H Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- I Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- Connecticut Avenue from H Street NW to L Street NW
- Vermont Avenue from H Street NW to L Street NW
- 15th Street from I Street to K Street NW (west side of McPherson Square)
- 17th Street from I Street to K Street NW (east side of Franklin Square)
- Constitution Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to 18th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street, NW to 18th Street NW
- I Street from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW
- I Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- H Street from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW
- H Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- K Street from 9th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- New York Avenue from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW
- 15th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to L Street NW (east side of McPherson Square)
- 16th Street from K Street to O Street
- 17th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to L Street NW (west side of Farragut Square)
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue SW to K Street NW
- 13th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 12th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 11th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 10th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 9th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue SW to E Street NW
- 6th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 3rd Street from Independence Avenue SW to D Street NW
- New York Avenue from 18th Street NW to 17th Street NW
- C Street from 18th Street NW to 17th Street NW
- D Street from 18th Street NW to 17th Street NW
- Madison Street from 3rd Street NW to 15th Street NW
- Jefferson Street from 3rd Street NW to 15th Street NW
The following streets will remain closed to traffic through 11:59 p.m. Saturday. (D.C. police say that if it is deemed safe, vehicles will be allowed for essential reasons.)
- Constitution Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue to 18th Street NW
- Independence Avenue SW from 14th Street to Ohio Drive SW
- K Street from 9th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- I Street from 9th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- H Street from 9th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- New York Avenue from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW
- New York Avenue from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- G Street from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW
- G Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street, NW
- F Street from 9th Street NW to 15th Street NW
- F Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- E Street from 9th Street NW to 15th Street, NW
- E Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- D Street from 5th Street NW to 9th Street NW
- D Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- C Street from 3rd Street NW to 6th Street NW
- C Street from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 3rd Street NW to 15th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- Indiana Avenue from 3rd Street to 5th Street NW
- 3rd Street from Independence Avenue SW to D Street NW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 4th Street from Indiana Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 5th Street from Indiana Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 6th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue SW to E Street NW
- 9th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 10th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to L Street NW
- 11th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to L Street NW
- 12th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to L Street NW
- 13th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to L Street NW
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue SW to L Street NW
- 15th Street from Independence Avenue SW to L Street NW
- 16th Street from H Street NW to L Street NW
- Vermont Avenue from H Street NW to L Street NW
- Connecticut Avenue from H Street NW to L Street NW
- 17th Street from Independence Avenue SW to L Street NW
- Madison Street from 3rd Street NW to 15th Street NW
- Jefferson Street from 3rd Street SW to 15th Street SW
- 12th Street Tunnel
- 9th Street Tunnel
WTOP’s Ken Duffy, Melissa Howell, Jack Moore, Acacia James and Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.
