More than 90 people were arrested in the nation’s capital on Inauguration Day following disturbances when some members of an unidentified group smashed the windows of cars and stores just before President Donald Trump was officially sworn in, ABC News reports.
Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham confirmed the arrests in a Periscope video posted to Twitter, adding that the problems were caused by one group that was dressed head to toe in black. Newsham said that “it’s a very, very small percentage of the number of folks that came here to peacefully assemble in our city.”
Police released a statement explaining that an organized group marched through the Northwest part of D.C. around 10:30 a.m. Friday and that “members of the group acting in a concerted effort engaged in acts of vandalism and several instances of destruction of property.”
Police say that the group damaged vehicles, destroyed the property of multiple businesses and ignited smaller isolated fires. Police vehicles were among those damaged. Police said that they responded using pepper spray and other “control devices.” In footage shown across social and mainstream media, smoke can be seen and the sound of bangs can be heard intermittently, sounds that have been identified as flash bangs.
In video, men and women with signs and sticks can be seen shattering the glass at a Starbucks and a bank.
According to USA Today, some were armed with crowbars and hammers. USA Today reports that two police officers were injured in the clash.
The destruction was isolated, however, and the main protest site at Navy Memorial near the inaugural parade route was largely peaceful, ABC News notes.