I believe J.E. Dyer is correct in her analysis that the forces “massing to protest and attack” the inauguration of Donald Trump embody “the same old stuff that the same old people have been mounting against Trump for the last year and a half.”
Nevertheless, the behavior those masses are demonstrating today is both un-American and frightening. It should come as a sobering heads-up to Democrats of what their divisive rhetoric and actions since the election have sown.
With the permission of my editors — which include J.E. — I have therefore compiled a snapshot in video format of the Left’s behavior on the day that the last president peacefully agreed to transfer power to the new president.
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
The least threatening of the demonstrations is first up. It consists of nothing more (or less) than a primal scream by the character below in a chartreuse rain slicker as he hears the announcement over a radio that Trump has been sworn in.
An anti-Trump protester screams ‘no’ as Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th US President pic.twitter.com/qmsaFmMSkr
— ITV News (@itvnews) January 20, 2017
The remainder of the images are a little more unsettling. Next up is a group the styled themselves “anarchists” functioned more as gestapos, blocking access to people attempting to get closer to the inaugural dais.
Anti-Trump protesters block Trump supporters trying to attend #InaugurationDaypic.twitter.com/foxeCWtVPd
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 20, 2017
Last — and worst — is the scene near K Street in D.C., where a group of anarchists set a limousine on fire in the hopes of disrupting this morning’s inagural motorcade.
Serious flames surrounding limo that was set on fire during Washington, DC protests, fire dept on scene pic.twitter.com/RSxme5rbvA
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) January 20, 2017
Police clad in riot gear were dispatched to the scene and ultimately given the command to deploy flash grenades.
BREAKING: A protester threw something at D.C. police, seen deflecting it with their shields. Then police deploy a flash bombs. #inauguration pic.twitter.com/xhVec1nWPz
— WUSA9 (@wusa9) January 20, 2017
If this all sounds distressingly familiar, it is probably because it puts you in mind of news footage of popular revolts following sham elections in repressive regimes around the world. An important difference that seems lost on these demonstrators is that the outgoing leader of this country — a man whom they love and respect — stood side-by-side in the spirit of collegiality at this morning’s festivities with the man who will replace him.