Source: Raw Story
The surprise of inauguration weekend was not Donald Trump’s ascension to the presidency. Anyone who thinks he will still pivot from his vision of a degenerate America that only he, the great leader, can redeem must be huffing his orange spray tan.
The surprise of the weekend is the multi-faceted opposition that’s emerged to his presidency. On inauguration day, activists peacefully blocked six of 14 entrances to the parade route and Black Bloc anarchists torched a limousine, smashed windows, and battled riot cops. Saturday witnessed Women’s Marches around the country, and world, that rank as some of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history. This includes one in Washington, D.C., that topped 500,000 people, and which crowd scientists estimated drew three times as many attendees as Trump’s inauguration.
The Women’s March was inspiring for its energy and breadth of participation that more accurately represents the many faces of America than Trump’s white nationalist movement.
The peaceful blockades received little media attention despite the fact Trump supporters instigated violence, according to eyewitnesses. One participant, Jamie McCallum, says, “We were attacked, pushed, insulted, spit on, and assaulted while the cops watched. But not a single person got past our line of nonviolent blockaders.”
A Black Bloc of 500 anti-capitalists damaged less property than a random drone strike, but it garnered widespread coverage and condemnation. There is much to criticize about smashy-smashy tactics, just from a self-interested position. Federal prosecutors are charging 217 arrested protesters with felony riot, which carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine as much as $250,000.