Dozens of arrests were made by D.C. police as they surrounded protesters in the Adams Morgan neighborhood on Thursday night.
D.C. police say they made 41 arrests for felony rioting and assault on police officer offenses.
“We facilitate daily peaceful demonstrations in D.C. Overnight, intentional fires were set and property destroyed. When this occurs, our members have a responsibility to take action,” D.C. police said in a tweet.
D.C. Fire and EMS tweeted that two outside fires were put out. There were no structural fires.
Police lined the corner of Willard Street and 18th Street Northwest after protesters gathered in Adams Morgan to march through the neighborhood about 10 p.m.
We facilitate daily peaceful demonstrations in DC. Overnight, intentional fires were set & property destroyed. When this occurs, our members have a responsibility to take action.
At this time, 41 individuals were arrested for Felony Rioting & Assault on Police Officer offenses. pic.twitter.com/GbpWxYMjXm
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) August 14, 2020
#BREAKING: Several dozen protestors corralled by DC Police at the corner of Willard and 18th NW in Adams Morgan. Massive MPD presence s has several streets blocked in either direction @nbcwashington @cmartinez400 @afruin pic.twitter.com/964ekzBpF3
— Tom Lynch (@TomLynch_) August 14, 2020
Tom Lynch, a member of the assignments team for WTOP news partner NBC Washington, reported from the scene that protesters demonstrated outside of the Third District police station.
By 11 p.m., protesters were corralled by police in the 1900 block of 18th Street Northwest near the corner of Willard Street Northwest, Lynch said. Several nearby blocks were also lined with police, who surrounded the protesters.
Lynch said bystanders urged police to release protesters who had been corralled.
Shortly after midnight, protesters that police cornered were handcuffed and taken into police vans, according to Lynch. Officers at the scene said those arrested face felony rioting charges.
Corralled protesters are now being placed in handcuffs and loaded into MPD vans. Those in cuffs are shouting their names at demonstrators outside the police line @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/OEXfZoFAmp
— Tom Lynch (@TomLynch_) August 14, 2020
Lynch said D.C. Fire and EMS transported at least one person from the scene.
Josh Evans, a bystander at the scene, told WTOP that some protesters were pepper sprayed.
D.C. police tweeted Friday morning that “numerous arrests” were made and that they were, “only of those that were engaged in rioting behaviors.”
There is a difference between peaceful protestors & individuals destroying property or setting fires. Yes, MPD did make numerous arrests last night but only of those that were engaged in rioting behaviors.
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) August 14, 2020
An official count on the number of people arrested has not yet been released.
It’s unclear what caused the scene to escalate.
WTOP’s Adisa Hargett-Robinson contributed to this report.
