Unlawful assembly declared on pro-Trump groups, counter-protesters by California state Capitol
Police were attempting to clear the streets around the California state Capitol on Saturday afternoon amid a demonstration involving two groups divided over the recent election — the sixth such weekend protest that has been marred by violent clashes.
The Sacramento Police Department declared the protest outside the Capitol as an unlawful assembly and made at least one arrest as of 3 p.m. while pro-Trump and left-wing groups antagonize one another.
For the past several weeks, supporters of the president — including a far-right group dubbed the Proud Boys — have appeared at the Capitol to protest the outcome of the election, which was called in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden.
In response, anti-fascist activists and other left-wing locals have come downtown as well. The two opposing groups have frequently clashed, throwing objects at each other over police barricades and even breaking out into street brawls on at least one occasion.
Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent rejection of Trump’s latest bid to overturn the results of the election, adherents of Trump returned to the Capitol to reiterate their support.
Antifa affiliates and other counter-protesters dressed in all black appeared at Roosevelt Park and marched north toward the Capitol. Police noted heavy armaments among members of both groups, such as body armor, helmets and gas masks.
The police department said its main goal was to keep the two groups separate, but demonstrators split off into smaller offshoots in order to get around barricades set up along 10th Street and elsewhere which were meant to keep them apart.
Police also indicated that a group of about 50 demonstrators grabbed metal poles from a construction site and marched while brandishing them.
A Capital Public Radio reporter at the demonstration witnessed a brief scuffle between protesters at a parking garage. One swung a long metal pole at another man, who was spraying pepper spray into a group. Others at the event posted video to social media showing factions squaring off using bear mace and other pepper-spray devices.
The groups coalesced around Roosevelt Park by 3 p.m. As the scene became more chaotic, police declared the demonstration unlawful. It was at this time that police confirmed one person had been arrested.
Shortly after police in riot gear moved in to the park, the crowd began to disperse. By 3:30 p.m., police said most demonstrators had left the area.
This story was originally published December 12, 2020 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Unlawful assembly declared on pro-Trump groups, counter-protesters by California state Capitol."
