Protesters clash with alt-right activists celebrating Trump win

A rally against a white nationalist conference celebrating the “awakening” of the movement after Donald Trump’s election turned violent when protesters outside the Washington, DC, venue clashed with alt-right activists Saturday.

Police were called to the Ronald Reagan Building to disperse some 300 people protesting the conference organized by the National Policy Institute, a think tank that has been accused of supporting anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia.

In videos of the clashes published online, protesters can be heard chanting “Nazi scum,” “White supremacists,” and “Fascists, we will shut you down!”

When two NPI staff members entered the crowd with a camera, they were attacked by some members of the crowd. One of them suffered a bloody gash across his forehead after reportedly being struck by protesters.

NBC Washington said police made two arrests.

White nationalist bloodied during DC protest https://t.co/q5jmzWjoNM #NationalPolicyInstitute pic.twitter.com/LD0aa4XM9I

— News from the World (@World360News) November 20, 2016

The alt-right, a loose movement of the far-right characterized by followers who traffic in white nationalism, anti-immigration sentiment, anti-Semitism and a disdain for “political correctness,” drew national attention during the presidential campaign as many of its followers voiced support for Trump.

The Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes the NPI as a hate group, and has previously noted its association with “individuals associated with anti-Semitism on the radical right”

The NPI is “dedicated to the heritage, identity, and future of people of European descent in the United States.” NPI head Richard Spencer marked Trump’s victory last week by tweeting: “The Alt Right just won!”

According to NPI website, the Saturday conference titled “Become Who We Are — 2016” was held to mark “the year of Donald Trump” and the emergence of the white nationalist movement in the wake of the presidential campaign.

Capitol building in the distance as protesters march to shut down Neo-Nazi think tank National Policy Institute #StopNPI pic.twitter.com/bfxykFiY7Q

— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) November 19, 2016

“It was a time when more people joined our movement then ever before and when our ideas began invading the mainstream,” NPI said on its website.

During the conference, Spencer hailed the last 12 months as “an awakening,” for the alt-right, according to the New York Times, telling activists “This is what a successful movement looks like.”

https://twitter.com/AlexR_DC/status/800033252723617792

Earlier this week, Twitter suspended Spencer’s account, along with those of several other alt-right figures, for violating policies regarding “targeted abuse and harassment.”

Trump does not publicly associate himself with the alt-right and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway last week said she was “personally offended” at the idea that she or any of the roughly 60 million Trump voters would support its ideas.