Protests over the election turned violent in multiple cities across the country Wednesday night.
In Portland, Oregon, a riot was declared and the National Guard was activated due to violence downtown. At least eight people have been arrested, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
In New York City, skirmishes broke out between police and protesters in Greenwich Village. The NYPD said more than 20 people were arrested in the violence.
“We appreciate and value the importance of freedom of speech. Our top priority is and always will be safety,” the department said in a tweet. “We have arrested more than 20 individuals who attempted to hijack a peaceful protest by lighting fires, throwing garbage and eggs in Manhattan.”
Protesters across the country called for officials to count every vote as President Donald Trump baselessly claimed current vote counts were fraudulent and filed lawsuits in several states to challenge vote totals.
