Is this the true face of Trump's America?

  • 21/01/2017

America's political divisions were on display in Washington DC on Saturday morning (NZ time) as around 1000 protesters in parts of the capital city voiced their grief at the inauguration of Donald Trump.

Marches turned violent on some streets, as black-clad anti-establishment activists set fires and clashed with police, while Trump supporters cheered the new commander-in-chief.

Some groups clashed with police, throwing rocks and bottles, which police responded to with tear gas and concussion grenades. A helicopter hovered low overhead.

Police said at least 217 people were arrested and six officers were injured in scuffles with activists.

The protests played out just blocks from Pennsylvania Avenue, where New York businessman-turned-Republican politician Trump took part in the traditional parade a newly sworn in president takes from the US Capitol to the White House.

The various protest groups scattered around the city chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried signs with slogans including "Trump is not president" and "Make Racists Afraid Again."

"Trump is not going to be stopped at the top, he's going to be stopped from the bottom, from people rising up," said Ben Allen, a 69-year-old retired teacher from San Francisco.

The US Secret Service, Washington police and other law enforcement agencies had about 28,000 officers in place to secure a roughly three-square-mile (7.8 square km) of the city.

Reuters / Newshub.