At least four people have been stabbed and police officers injured on Saturday night after clashes between different groups of protesters broke out in Washington D.C.
The violent confrontations, which followed a “Million MAGA March,” appeared to be between alleged members of the far-left Antifa group and the Proud Boys group, which was established by libertarian Gavin McInnes. Both groups have regularly attracted media attention for being involved in violent encounters with one another.
D.C. authorities told local media that four people were stabbed in the intersection of 11th Street and F Street in downtown D.C. All four individuals have been sent to the hospital with critical injuries, reported WUSA9.
Metropolitan Police Department also told reporters that at least 23 individuals have been arrested amid the civil unrest, including six for assaulting a police officer, 10 for simple assault, four for rioting, one for possession of a taser, and two for crossing a police line, the media outlet said.
The department did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.
It is unclear which individuals were arrested by authorities but videos by reporters on the scene show alleged Proud Boys protesters and “counter-protesters” arrested and escorted into police vans.
Videos also show that one of the individuals stabbed during the violence was an alleged Proud Boys protester. It remains unclear who the other stabbing victims are.
Earlier in the day, tens of thousands supporting President Donald Trump marched through the streets of Washington calling for integrity in the 2020 presidential election in their second “Million MAGA March.” In recent weeks, a considerable number of eyewitnesses, whistleblowers, and expert witnesses have come forward to testify about instances of election irregularities and potential for fraud pertaining to the 2020 presidential election.
Trump, his campaign, and numerous third-parties have filed multiple separate lawsuits in state and federal courts in an attempt to invalidate the election results until concerns over potential fraud are transparently and independently addressed. According to witness and expert testimony, it is possible that a significant proportion of votes were cast and counted in violation of state election codes and the U.S. Constitution.
Many of these cases have been tossed out by judges for procedural reasons, such as a lack of standing—or a right—to bring a case; mootness, where there is no longer a controversy between the parties; and laches, where a judge ruled there was a lack of diligence in bringing a claim.
One of these cases—Texas v. Pennsylvania—was filed in the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week. The state of Texas had asked the top court for permission to sue Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin over allegations that they violated the constitution and treated voters unfairly in their handling of the 2020 general election.
The nation’s top court late Friday handed down an order rejecting Texas’s request, citing a lack of legal standing to sue. The evidence in the case was not considered in the court making its decision.
During Saturday’s march, groups of Trump supporters gathered in front of the nation’s top court as part of their demonstration.
The two groups also clashed on the night of the first “Million MAGA March.”
The Proud Boys have been described as a far-right or so-called alt-right group by the left-leaning Southern Poverty Law Center. The group’s core tenets focus on minimal government, individual rights, closed borders, entrepreneurship, and the traditional family. They relish in defying political correctness and in touting the Western culture as the best in the world, according to their Facebook group that has since been taken down.
Members of the group have vowed to fight back against anarcho-communist group Antifa. Antifa members have been known to label parties and individuals who don’t align with their ideology as “fascists” to justify their use of violence against them.
Antifa members often appear at free speech and pro-Trump rallies in an effort to shut them down and engage in violent activity.
Trump has previously condemned both Proud Boys and Antifa.
Zachary Stieber, Petr Svab, and Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times
