Motivated by the president’s false claims that the election was rigged, thousands of mostly maskless Trump supporters descended on D.C. over the weekend. 

According to a team of Post reporters who were in downtown, brief intense clashes between Trump supporters and counterprotesters erupted on Saturday. Both groups were bloodied, and four police officers were injured. The Metropolitan Police Department arrested 21 people, and recovered eight firearms. Police Chief Peter Newsham tells the Post that two people arrested on gun charges were linked to a Georgia-based militia group.    

At around 8 p.m., a man was stabbed in the back as groups charged each other five blocks east of the White House. He was later taken to the hospital. Another person, who identified as a member of the press, was stabbed in the ear by a person she believes to be a Proud Boys member. She got aid from a street medic.     

Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto did not disavow the white nationalists or far-right activists who were among the crowds of protesters when she posted a Twitter thread about the violent clashes that erupted in her ward. Nor did she rebuke anyone for breaking the mayor’s order and protesting maskless during a time when cases in the city are on the rise. Instead, Pinto tweeted “Ward 2 welcomes all.” 

“We have a proud tradition of peaceful protests in our city,” tweeted Pinto Sunday afternoon. “Ward 2 welcomes all who would like to make their voices and positions heard in a peaceful manner. We are one community, and it is up to us to look after our fellow neighbors. I trust that we will all remain vigilant, be responsible, and hold one another accountable.” 

Pinto also said she is working with MPD to make sure illegal activities—like vandalism—are “pursued and deterred.” Black Lives Matter DC, and their supporters, immediately called Pinto out for her tone deaf tweets.     

“I can’t find where you call out the white supremacists that came to your ward with the intent on committing violence and chaos on our streets,” tweeted Anthony Lorenzo Green, a Black Lives Matter DC core organizer and Ward 7 ANC Commissioner. “[H]ere you are with this both sides BS.” 

City Paper reached out to Pinto to learn why she did not think to condemn white nationalists when talking about the weekend protests in her ward. She was unable to jump on the phone due to various hearings, so sent a statement via email:   

“Hate and violence have no place in our communities. I stand unequivocally against hateful messages and actions. I condemn white supremacy and I stand with the Black Lives Matter movement; I stand with the Jewish Community, the LGBTQIAA+ community, and all of those who are unjustly targeted and mistreated because of who they are. Any violence or terrorization perpetrated against our residents will not be tolerated. As Ward 2 is the primary location of many marches, protests, and other large gatherings in our city, I am charged with sharing information with the community and working to ensure that all DC residents are kept safe.”   

 —Amanda Michelle Gomez (tips? agomez@washingtoncitypaper.com)