Black-clad Antifa activists wearing balaclavas and helmets briefly clashed with police and pro-Trump supporters in Washington, DC during a ‘free speech’ rally staged by the alt-right Proud Boys movement on Saturday.
The skirmishes took place near Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington on Saturday.
Video on social media shows a large contingent of police acting as a buffer between the Proud Boys rally and a group of anti-fascists, who were unable to break through the line of helmeted officers.
A supporter of President Trump and a counter-protestor face off as right-wing activists hold a rally in support of free speech rights in Washington on Saturday
Members of the antifascist group Antifa were on hand to protest a rally staged by the alt-right Proud Boys in Washington on Saturday
The man on the left is holding a ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign as police officers serve as a buffer between alt-right and left-wing protesters
The Antifa movement members and their supporters gathered under the banner of ‘All Out DC.’
They camped at nearby Pershing Park in an attempt to drown out the Proud Boys rally, according to The Washington Post.
One Antifa activist was filmed dragging a newspaper vending box onto the street.
The box was selling copies of the Washington Examiner, a conservative daily newspaper.
There was also a tense confrontation between a Trump-supporting congressional candidate from New York and Antifa sympathizers.
Joey Saladino, who is running for Congress to represent Staten Island and south Brooklyn, wore a red ‘Make America Great Again’ hat near the protest site.
In video uploaded to social media, he is seen arguing with Antifa members, one of whom tries to attack him.
Saladino tweeted: ‘Lmao, Antifa ripped my hat off. Bunch of dorks. They are lucky it was a girl that did it.’
Greg Aselbekian, who claimed to have been kicked off Tinder, delivers remarks at the far right Demand Free Speech Rally in Washington
Attendees bow their heads in prayer at the far right Demand Free Speech Rally in Washington
Pro-Trump supporters on the right engage in a heated argument with people who oppose their views in Washington on Saturday
An activist waves a Bennington version of the American flag from the Revolutionary War at the far right Demand Free Speech Rally
Crowd estimates showed that anti-fascist protesters outnumbered the Proud Boys and alt-right supporters by some 2 to 1
An Antifa member holds up a red flag during a demonstration in downtown Washington on Saturday
Supporters of the Proud Boys listen to speakers on stage at the Demand Free Speech rally in Washington on Saturday
A Proud Boys supporter holds a sign that reads ‘Don’t Cuba my America’ during a rally in Washington on Saturday
An Antifa supporter (left) argues with a Proud Boys follower (right) during protests in Washington on Saturday
There were an estimated 100 police officers on bicycles and motorcycles during the demonstrations on Saturday
In another tweet, he wrote: ‘Antifa was spitting in my face, crowd got big, riot almost broke out.’
Overall, however, it appeared there were no major injuries or incidents during the day.
Antifa protesters and left-wing counter-demonstrators far outnumbered the Proud Boys and the alt-right ralliers on Saturday.
A Proud Boys supporter (right) greets a police officer with a fist bump during demonstrations in Washington on Saturday
Joe Biggs (center) leaves after participating in a “Demand Free Speech” rally on Freedom Plaza on July 6, 2019 in Washington
Antifa members tried to break through the police barricade to confront the Proud Boys supporters, but were rebuffed by officers
A Trump supporter wears a t-shirt in support of Alex Jones, the far right conspiracy theorist who was banned from social media platforms
Antifa supporters who oppose the Proud Boys and the alt-right movement are seen above in Washington on Saturday
Police are seen above standing between a Proud Boys supporter and left-wing counter-demonstrators in Washington on Saturday
Antifa supporters on the left are seen yelling at a Trump supporter on the right during an argument in Washington on Saturday
Anti-Trump protesters hold signs denouncing white supremacy during demonstrations in Washington on Saturday
The Proud Boys, a self-proclaimed ‘chauvinistic men’s group,’ rally drew some 250 supporters, according to USA Today.
They staged a demonstration to protest what they believe to be censorship of rightist views on social media.
Authorities estimate that there were nearly double the number of counter-protesters.
There were at least one hundred police officers on bikes and motorcycles who kept the two sides apart.
When Antifa members were prevented from entering Freedom Plaza, they tried to circumvent the officers by going around the block.
The Antifa activists charged a police barricade, but were kept apart from the Proud Boys and their supporters.
Supporters of Trump are seen above rallying on Freedom Plaza in Washington on Saturday
Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, formerly of Vice media, wears fake handcuffs during the rally in Washington
Alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, wearing a black wig and lipstick, speaks during the rally in Washington on Saturday
One Proud Boys member holds a sign that reads ‘Jews own USA’ during the rally in Washington on Saturday
A Proud Boys supporter holds a sign that reads ‘Stop the bias’ while wearing a shirt that says ‘It’s okay to be white’
A supporter of President Donald Trump puts flags on a float after a rally for free speech at Freedom Plaza
Police in Washington largely prevented a repeat of what took place last week in Portland, Oregon, when eight people were injured during clashes between Antifa and pro-Trump groups.
One of those injured was Andy Ngo, a conservative journalist whose attack was caught on video and shared virally on social media.
Ngo, an editor at the online publication Quillette, was filmed being punched, kicked and covered in milkshake by members of the Antifa movement.
Ngo, who describes himself in his Twitter bio as ‘hated by Antifa’, is seen attempting to get away from the crowd, some of whom follow him and throw milkshakes and other objects at his head.
The Proud Boys also made news this week when their followers clashed with counter-protesters near the National Mall on Thursday, where President Trump gave a speech to mark the Fourth of July celebrations.
Skirmishes briefly erupted when communist supporters burned an American flag.
Two people were arrested and two police officers were lightly injured.