Gathering in northwest Washington, DC on Friday evening, protesters briefly shut down traffic on a major thoroughfare before reaching the White House, where a heavy police presence, barricades and a huge crowd of demonstrators could be seen in videos shared online.

Police clad in riot gear were seen scrambling to get in position around the White House’s West Wing, where the Oval Office is located.

At one point during the action, a minor skirmish broke out with police as protesters attempted to tear down barricades, but the spat appears to have resolved without any arrests or major injuries.

Around a dozen members of the White House press corps were trapped in the West Wing during the lockdown. As protesters began to disperse, an NPR reporter noted that an “intense demonstration” continued in nearby Lafayette Park.

After about an hour, protesters moved away from the White House, heading elsewhere in the city. The lockdown has since been lifted, with police seen withdrawing from the area.

Header: A man argues with a Secret Service officer after being pepper sprayed as demonstrators protest near the White House over the police killing of a Minneapolis man, in Washington, DC, May 29, 2020. © Reuters / Jonathan Ernst

Original: RT