The police chief in Washington, D.C., says only one person was arrested after a chaotic day of protests and counterprotests centered around a white nationalist rally in front of the White House.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser hailed the police department’s performance Sunday, saying it was “successful in allowing the First Amendment activities to happen while maintaining peace.”
There were several tense moments, with police essentially shielding the 20 or so white nationalist demonstrators from several thousand enraged counterprotesters on the anniversary of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police Chief Peter Newsham called it “a well-executed plan to safeguard people and property while allowing citizens to express their First Amendment rights.”
Police also had a tense standoff with about 150 masked antifascist protesters who marched through the area blocking traffic after the white nationalists left.
