Pro-Trump groups, counter-protesters clash at California Capitol after weeks of unrest
The streets along the California state Capitol were once again the site of rising tension and political conflict as pro-Trump groups and counter-protesters faced off Saturday afternoon.
For several weeks since the Nov. 3 election, which resulted in a win for former Vice President Joe Biden, crowds of people supporting President Donald Trump have taken to the street to echo his unfounded claims of widespread electoral fraud.
Among their ranks are the Proud Boys, a far-right group whose members brand themselves as Western chauvinists, which has prompted a response from local Antifa affiliates, who rally around anti-Fascist politics.
Sacramento police officers on Saturday were once again prioritizing separation of these two groups, fearing more direct conflicts between the two opposing sides.
The demonstration saw a ramping up of conflict as tensions continue to escalate. Police reported glass bottles and fireworks being thrown between the two around 1 p.m.
The Antifa group had marched down from 16th Street toward the Capitol, where the Proud Boys were gathered, according to reports from Capital Public Radio.
Police indicated that the groups were becoming increasingly antagonistic.
“One group continues to move locations in an attempt to confront the other group,” the police department wrote in a social media update. “Officers are continuing to keep the groups separate. While separating the two groups officers have had lasers directed into their eyes.”
Cap Radio observed police firing projectiles into a crowd in response. Police later said that they used less-than-lethal weapons against a group attempting to break through a barricade, set up to keep the two sides away from each other.
Several cars in the area of the Capitol were reportedly damages and had their tires slashed. Police said that a group of protesters leaving the area damaged cars along the way.
By 4:20 p.m., police said both groups had dispersed. More than 150 officers were dispatched to the Capitol. Although police were notified of several altercations during the course of the demonstration, nobody involved wanted to file reports.
Detectives will continue to investigate the vandalism of several vehicles.
This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Pro-Trump groups, counter-protesters clash at California Capitol after weeks of unrest."
