“Deplore-a-Ball” Weathers Protests, DC Readies For Trump
By Evan Lips | January 20, 2017, 7:59 EST
WASHINGTON D.C. — The much-ballyhooed “Deplore-a-Ball” pre-inauguration party went off without a hitch Thursday night, despite protesters’ best efforts to disrupt access to the downtown event, as America’s capital city braces itself for Republican Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
An evening that saw thousands descend upon the Lincoln Memorial for a grand welcoming concert featuring the likes of country music star Toby Keith also featured a massive fireworks display, as Trump addressed a crowd of supporters, telling them they wouldn’t be “forgotten anymore.”
Leftovers from today — fireworks scene looking across Potomac from VA. #inauguration pic.twitter.com/GkCUCfxfsB
— Evan Lips (@evanmlips) January 20, 2017
And despite threats of massive disruption from protest organizers who vowed to shut down Trump supporters’ “Deplore-a-Ball” gala, held at the National Press Club, police managed to keep the most active protesters at bay:
Whole lotta cops just cleared the hell outta the street in front of #DeploraBall pic.twitter.com/bmZAfqaZlE
— Evan Lips (@evanmlips) January 20, 2017
There was, however, chaos at the start, as Deplore-a-Ball attendees struggled to enter the building amid a gauntlet of protesters:
#DeploraBall attendees chased by #DisruptJ20 protesters pic.twitter.com/F9sPk80fHf
— Alexander Rubinstein (@AlexR_DC) January 20, 2017
Protesters later elected to march through the streets:
Nice little #disruptj20 parade moving up 13th St #Inauguration pic.twitter.com/9pa9WrXJhm
— Evan Lips (@evanmlips) January 20, 2017
Not everyone left the scene unscathed. Kassy Dillon, a contributor to the Campus Reform website, recorded a brief broadcast from the scene and recalled some of the taunts she heard from protesters:
Even @KassyDillon of @campusreform got a dose of tear gas outside #DeploraBall #Inauguration pic.twitter.com/KWEalpNGjc
— Evan Lips (@evanmlips) January 20, 2017
Dillon later told New Boston Post that she was still smarting from the tear gas police used to disperse the protesters.
Trump is slated to take the oath of office at noon on Friday.