ST. PAUL, Minn. – Protesters attacked delegates, smashed windows, punctured car tires and threw bottles Sept. 1, a violent counterpoint to an otherwise peaceful anti-war march at the Republican National Convention.
Police wielding pepper spray arrested at least 163 people.
The trouble happened not far from the convention site, and many of those involved in the more violent protest were clad in black and identified themselves to reporters as anarchists. They wrought havoc by damaging property and setting at least one fire.
Members of the Connecticut delegation said they were attacked by protesters when they got off their bus.
Delegate Rob Simmons told the station that a group of protesters came toward his delegation and tried to rip the credentials off their necks and sprayed them with a toxic substance that burned their eyes and stained their clothes.
One 80-year-old member of the delegation had to be treated for injuries, and several other delegates had to rinse their eyes and clothing, the station reported.
Five people were arrested for lighting a trash bin on fire and pushing it into a police car, St. Paul police spokesman Tom Walsh said. The antiwar march was organized by a group called the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War.
About 180 protesters who weren’t part of the march caused trouble, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said.
Some protesters were seen lying on an interstate exit ramp to block traffic in downtown St. Paul and linking arms to block other roads.