All three networks on Thursday spotlighted violent, anti-Donald Trump protests across the country. On ABC’s Good Morning America, Gio Benitez noted the tear gas, the fires and chaos, but insisted, “From the ballot box to the streets of New York, these people are letting their voices be heard.”
A GMA graphic showed a picture of an out of control fire next to a raucous crowd with a network graphic that mildly explained, “Protesting Trump.” Benitez offered, “Demonstrators flocking to Trump-owned properties in New York. There's such anger here right in front of Donald Trump's home. They're chanting, ‘This is what democracy looks like.’"
He informed, “Police in Oakland used tear gas to keep the crowd of nearly 7,000 at bay. Major freeways in Los Angeles shut down as crowds burned effigies of Trump and marched on city hall.”
On CBS This Morning, Michelle Miller told audiences that dozens had been arrested and added, “Thousands took to the streets to voice their outrage over the election of Donald Trump.”
She featured clips of crowds chanting, “No KKK! No fascist USA!” Miller talked to another woman who ranted of Trump: “Racist, homophobic, xenophobic nightmare, misogynist nightmare and he doesn't represent the values that I know to be American values.”
Unlike ABC, Miller offered more on the arrests in New York: “About 65 people were arrested near Trump Tower, mostly for disorderly conduct.”
Over on NBC’s Today, Savannah Guthrie related, “And Chicago. Demonstrators blocking traffic in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Portland, Oregon. Even burning an effigy of the President-Elect in New Orleans." Reporter Miguel Almaguer reiterated:
MIGUEL ALMAGUER: Overnight, the outrage over an election, sparking protests from coast to coast and cities in between. In Oakland, what started as a peaceful protest quickly turning violent. Demonstrators burning flags and vandalizing cars. In San Diego, police struggling to keep control of scores of demonstrators.
A transcript of the ABC segment is below:
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GMA
7amROBIN ROBERTS: Anti-Trump protests erupt coast to coast. Peaceful ones turning violent. Police fighting back with tear gas.
MICHAEL STRAHAN: Tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets. Marching on Trump towers in new York and Chicago. More than a hundred arrests.
7:02
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But first, ABC’s Gio Benitez is outside Trump Tower with more on the protests overnight. Good morning, gio.
GIO BENITEZ: George, good morning, good morning to you. In so many ways, these are protests fueled by social media and don't expect them to die down any time soon because right now the number one trend on Twitter is that #Trumpprotests.
CROWD: Racist, sexist, anti-gay. Impeach Donald Trump today! Donald Trump has got to go!
BENITEZ: Overnight, protests across the country turning violent in the early morning hours. As thousands of protesters from New York to Los Angeles gathered in the streets to protest the election of Donald Trump. Police in Oakland used tear gas to keep the crowd of nearly 7,000 at bay. Major freeways in Los Angeles shut down as crowds burned effigies of Trump and marched on city hall.
Demonstrators flocking to Trump-owned properties in New York. There's such anger here right in front of Donald Trump's home. They're chanting, “This is what democracy looks like.” From the ballot box to the streets of New York, these people are letting their voices be heard. More than 10,000 gathered throughout the city, crowds blocking traffic, chanting, screaming. Expressing their frustration, some climbing scaffolding and street signs to protest above the crowd.
WOMAN: We're just people who are here who love this country as much as any other person.
BENITEZ: At least 120 protesters arrested nationwide overnight. And we should tell you the President-elect has not yet commented on these protests. But after being here overnight I got to tell you these protests were just so loud you could hear it for blocks. It’s hard to imagine here how anyone here got much sleep. Robin?
