Crowds of angry protesters have taken to streets across the United
States chanting “Not Our President” while setting fires and smashing
windows.
Hundreds of people descended on California minutes after it was announced that Donald Trump had won the election.
Hillary Clinton supporters were filmed setting fire to the US flag
while marching through the streets of Portland, Oregon, shouting “F***
Donald Trump”.
Footage also emerged of activists setting tyres and rubbish bins on fire, blocking main roads and lighting flares.
People also burned an effigy of the President-elect, who will be officially sworn into office in January.
Meanwhile, a young student has reportedly been hit by an SUV and
severely injured during a march in Berkeley, with one witness claiming
the crash was intentional, according NBC Bay Area .
Other protests have broken out in the San Diego, San Fransisco and San Jose areas, according to reports.
People could be heard chanting “Whose streets? Our streets” and “Not Our President”, according to Twitter users at the scene.
A demonstration also unfolded at the University of California, Davis
where students blocked streets as they marched and chanted anti-Trump
slogans and “You are not America, we are America,” according to Twitter
posts.
Anti-racist protesters are to stage a demonstration outside the US Embassy in London following the shock election victory.
Activists accused the President-elect of having a long history of
“racist outbursts” as well as his promise to build a wall between the US
and Mexico.
Sabby Dhalu, co-convener of the Stand up to Racism group, said:
“Donald Trump used the oldest trick in the book – he stirred up fear and
racism in the context of a stagnant economy and the resulting fall in
living standards – to mobilise a vote for him.
“The danger now is racists across the globe feel emboldened by Donald
Trump’s victory and racism and sexism become normalised through the
most powerful figure in the world.
“We call on anti-racists and all progressives to join us tonight outside the US Embassy.”
The billionaire businessman will become the 45th president of the
United States after voters gambled on his pledge to “Make America Great
Again”.
Speaking at a victory party in New York after rival Hillary Clinton
conceded defeat, Mr Trump urged Americans to put the election behind
them.
“It is time for us to come together as one united people,” he said.
“I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.”
Taking to the stage with his family, including wife Melania, Mr Trump
promised a plan to double economic growth and invest in world-class
infrastructure.
“Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream.”
It would be a “beautiful thing”, he said.
The election of the outspoken businessman and TV personality, who has
never held public office, shows the anger and frustration of many
Americans who felt left behind by the economy and ignored by the
political establishment.
Mr Trump said: “The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.”
The Republican candidate sealed victory when he took key battleground states Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The Clinton camp initially refused to throw in the towel, but Mr
Trump told supporters shortly before 8am UK time: “I’ve just received a
call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us – it’s about us – on
our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very
hard-fought campaign.”
During the battle for the Oval Office, Mr Trump had repeatedly
described his rival as “crooked Hillary” and called her a “nasty woman”.
But he struck a conciliatory tone in his first appearance as
president-elect, thanking the former first lady and secretary of state
for her “service” to the country.
Mr Trump sought to give reassurance to international leaders about
his intentions: “I want to tell the world community that, while we will
always put America’s interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone –
all people and all other nations.