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Image via Twitter @BGOnTheScene screenshot |
(TheBlaze) - Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters marched in the streets of Washington, D.C., where demonstrators scuffled with police officers and the crowd shouted threats to "burn down" the nation's capital.
On Saturday night, members of BLM and Antifa protested in D.C., where they regularly chanted, "If we don't get it, burn it down!"
Chants of “If we don’t get it, burn it down” as the march continues in DC tonight #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/YMxy90P4oj
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
‘Antifascist Action’ flag at tonight’s FTP March in DC #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/ovCTVAyGAe
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
“Whose streets? Our streets!” chants as the march continues in DC this Saturday night #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/CB3vsCodgH
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
“ACAB” chants as the group mobilizes once again in DC on this Saturday night #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/CGaOPKtD0u
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
Speeches on race, Black and Indigenous lives next to the outdoor diners in DC #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/LaGQ5qW3hC
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
An officer swats away one of the flashlights, leading to brief clashes as police push forward into the crowd in front of outdoor diners here in DC #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/UuA76fH5X4
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
"We are here tonight because black lives matter," the BLM crowd repeated after the main speaker. "Despite black lives mattering, black people are still dying at the hands of the police paid for by our tax dollars."
The group recited the story of Eric Garner, a New York man who died while in police custody in 2014. During the story, the crowd called police officers the derogatory name of "pigs" on multiple occasions.
There were then several chants of "I can't breathe!"
The march ends with a speech honoring Eric Garner as the group wraps up tonight’s protest in DC #DC #DCProtests #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/hw8kcHklrI
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 7, 2021
Washington, D.C., has been heavily guarded since the Capitol riots on Jan. 6. There were more than 26,000 National Guard troops in D.C. before President Joe Biden's inauguration.
"There are currently about 7,000 National Guard members in the city providing security," ABC News reported. "That number is expected to slowly go down to 5,000, and they are set to stay until about mid-March. The total cost for the deployment is expected to be close to $500 million."
The U.S. Capitol building has been fortified with barricades and fencing, which many are calling for the structures to be removed.