WASHINGTON — The 'Million MAGA March' that happened in the District last month to protest President Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 election returned to the area on Saturday.
According to the march's website, around 17,000 supporters said they would be in attendance for the rally near the National Sylvan Theater on the Mall between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Clashes with police, and confrontations between pro-Trump supporters and counter-protesters, were seen Saturday after the second Million MAGA March to be put on in downtown Washington since early November's election results.
Six people have been arrested in connection with MAGA protests and conflicts in downtown Washington, according to a communications spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police).
The charges for those arrested have not been released, said DC Police in its statement.
Both pro-Trump supporters and counter-protesters are in the area of Freedom Plaza and Black Lives Matter Plaza.
By noon on Saturday, WUSA9's Mike Valerio reported crowds at Freedom Plaza, who had gathered in support of Trump's unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 election, were sparse, down sharply from the crowds seen last month.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said in a release Saturday morning that there were five "unrest-related arrests" made in the overnight hours of Friday into Saturday morning.
"There are peaceful demonstrations in the District of Columbia on a daily basis. The same rules apply for all demonstrations in DC and we welcome anyone to our city who wants to come to exercise their First Amendment rights peacefully. The Metropolitan Police Department will work with organizers to facilitate. If there are persons that destroy property or hurt someone at any time, police will take action. MPD rarely has to make an arrest at a demonstration but in the event that we do, know that it will be done safely and respectfully," police said in a statement.
On Twitter, President Donald Trump said he would "be seeing" protesters gathered for the demonstration on Freedom Plaza Saturday morning.
President Trump's 'Marine One' helicopter also buzzed by supporters as he flew back from attending the Army-Navy game in Highland Falls, New York.
Supporters of President Trump argued that widespread voter fraud tilted the election in Joe Biden's favor.
"This fight is more than the president," said one demonstrator. "This fight is for the integrity of our constitution and...to make sure we have free and fair elections."
But Democratic and Republican officials across the country have repeatedly said they’ve seen no evidence of widespread fraud.
President Trump’s Attorney General William Barr said at the beginning of the month "To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.”
And in Georgia, state election official Gabriel Sterling, a conservative serving in a conservative state government, said Georgia’s signature match program worked.
"No one has provided a shred, a scintilla of evidence that signatures weren’t matched. No one. They’ve made the allegation repeatedly but there is zero evidence that that’s the case," said Sterling.
Still, supporters of the president and his own lawyers have filed dozens of lawsuits challenging the election results.
More than 30 have already been dropped or dismissed, including, as of Friday night, two decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear election challenges.
Meanwhile a counter-protest by the group Refuse Fascism DC was also planned to take place at noon on Saturday at Black Lives Matter Plaza.
"Women for America First" -- a group of conservative women that helped organize last month's "Stop the Steal" rally in the District -- has filed for another protest permit with the National Park Service after the organization's inaugural event, which drew thousands of people.
During the Nov. 14 MAGA march, thousands filled Freedom Plaza for a presentation that spread unfounded claims about election fraud before a march to the Supreme Court. More than 20 people were arrested when pro-Trump supporters and counter-protesters clashed later that evening, according to the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Park Police.
Ahead of this weekend's march, D.C. officials have announced several road and street closures along with parking restrictions.
Here's a list of the expected road and street closures you can expect for this upcoming weekend:
Emergency No Parking
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. to Sunday, Dec. 13 11:59 p.m:
- H Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- I Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- Connecticut Avenue from H Street, NW to L Street, NW
- Vermont Avenue from H Street, NW to L Street, NW
- 15th Street from I Street to K Street, NW (west side of McPherson Square)
- 17th Street from I Street to K Street, NW (east side of Franklin Square)
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m:
- Constitution Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to 23rd Street, NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- I Street from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- I Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- H Street from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- H Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- K Street from 9th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- New York Avenue from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- 17th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to L Street, NW (west side of Farragut Square)
- 15th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to L Street, NW (east side of McPherson Square)
- 16th Street from K Street to O Street
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to L Street, NW
- 13th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to L Street, NW
- 12th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 11th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 10th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 9th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to E Street, NW
- 6th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 3rd Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- New York Avenue from 18th Street, NW to 17th Street, NW
- C Street from 18th Street, NW to 17th Street, NW
- D Street from 18th Street, NW to 17th Street, NW
- Madison Drive from 3rd Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- Jefferson Drive from 3rd Street, SW to 15th Street, SW
Street Closures
On Saturday, Dec. 12, the following streets will be restricted to vehicle traffic from approximately 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.:
- Constitution Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue to 23rd Street, NW
- Independence Avenue, SW from 14th Street to Ohio Drive, SW
- K Street from 9th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- I Street from 9th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- H Street from 9th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- New York Avenue from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- New York Avenue from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- G Street from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- G Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- F Street from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- F Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- E Street from 9th Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- E Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- D Street from 5th Street, NW to 9th Street, NW
- D Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- C Street from 3rd Street, NW to 6th Street, NW
- C Street from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue, NW from 3rd Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue, NW from 17th Street, NW to 18th Street, NW
- Indiana Avenue from 3rd Street to 5th Street, NW
- 3rd Street from Independence Avenue, SW to D Street, NW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 4th Street from Indiana Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 5th Street from Indiana Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 6th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to E Street, NW
- 9th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to E Street, NW
- 10th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to L Street, NW
- 11th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to L Street, NW
- 12th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to L Street, NW
- 13th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to L Street, NW
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to L Street, NW
- 15th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to L Street, NW
- 16th Street from H Street, NW to L Street, NW
- Vermont Avenue from H Street, NW to L Street, NW
- Connecticut Avenue from H Street, NW to L Street, NW
- 17th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to L Street, NW
- Madison Street from 3rd Street, NW to 15th Street, NW
- Jefferson Street from 3rd Street, SW to 15th Street, SW
- 12th Street Tunnel
- 9th Street Tunnel
The decision to restrict vehicles will be based upon public safety and if safe to do so, vehicles will be allowed to enter the restricted area if they are on essential business or traveling to-and-from their residence, D.C. Police said in a release.
While D.C. Police and city officials don't anticipate street closures on Friday or Sunday, there is the potential for "intermittent closures" in the downtown area. Any decision to close a street will be based upon public safety, according to D.C. Police.
All vehicles that are parked in violation of the emergency no parking signs will be ticketed and towed.