
President Donald Trump has praised a crowd of up to 40,000 anti-fascist protesters who marched through the streets of Boston in protest against right-wing activists hosting a 'free speech' rally on Saturday.

Some of the counter-protesters clashed with police after the largely peaceful march through the city had ended when the handful of activists who attended the free speech rally left.

President Trump tweeted: 'I want to applaud the many protesters in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!

'Our great country has been divided for decades. Sometimes you need protest in order to heal, & we will heal, & be stronger than ever before!'

Trump quickly deleted two tweets that misspelled the word heal as 'heel' and an hour earlier he had tweeted to condemn 'anti-police agitators'.

But the president's tone was mostly conciliatory after a week of outrage over his response to the violence in Charlottesville last weekend.

Out of the thousands in attendance, 33 people were arrested following bottles of urine and rocks being thrown at police and when some burned a Confederate flag and pounded on the sides of a police vehicle at Boston Common.

Although city officials had asked counter-protesters to stay away, saying their presence would draw more attention to the far-right activists, the group was later commended for standing up to hate and bigotry during the largely peaceful day.

President Trump has applauded thousands of anti-fascist protesters who marched through the city streets of Boston to make their way towards a right-wing 'free speech' rally on Saturday afternoon

Only a handful of rally attendees could be spotted against the swarm of the estimated 40,000 counter-protesters who chanted loudly and waved signs denouncing white nationalism at Boston Common (pictured)

The rally comes just one week after the violent 'Unite the Right' rally in Virginia which left one woman dead and dozens more injured. Pictured: An anti-fascist protester moves away from a burning Confederate flag outside of Boston Common

President Trump was quick to respond to this week's demonstration and tweeted out: 'Looks like many anti-police agitators in Boston. Police are looking tough and smart! Thank you'

However, Trump later added: 'I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!'

Boston braced itself for what could have been a violent day with at least 500 police officers to man the streets to keep the peace between thousands of tense people

Boston had braced itself with hundreds of police officers to ensure that the day didn't have the same deadly outcome of the Charlottesville protests last week.

However, opponents of the right-wing took over the rally, chanting anti-Nazi slogans and waving signs condemning white nationalism, in order to stand against what they thought could have turned into a platform for racist propaganda.

The small right-wing group who came for the rally huddled in a circle at the park as barricades fenced them off from the thousands upon thousands of counter-protesters who came to drown out their event.

Around an hour after the rally's start time of noon, the few dozen who came for the free speech event left their enclosed area as police helped escort the planned speakers from the park.

After the event was cut short, with the anti-fascist protesters outnumbering the right-wing attendees 1,000 to one, some counter-protesters 'who came to cause problems' squared off against riot police.

Police Commissioner William Evans said that out of the 33 arrests police made, most were for disorderly conduct, with some for assault and battery during scuffles between police and protesters.

Tensions arose when police escorted the right-wing rally participants away from Boston Common and counter-protesters

Police move toward a counter-protester (right) after the wind-down of a 'free speech' rally in Boston on Saturday

A group of counter-protesters raise their arms as they stand in the streets of Boston following the wind-down of a rally

Police Commissioner William Evans (pictured) said that out of the 33 arrests police made, most were for disorderly conduct, with some for assault and battery during scuffles between police and protesters

Boston thought it could be a violent day and sent at least 500 police officers to man the streets to keep the peace between thousands of tense people.

The police hoped to deter violence at the 'free speech' rally, which had right-wing speakers, by closing streets to avert car attacks like the deadly one carried out last week.

Boston also outlawed weapons of any kind - including sticks used to hold signs - in the protest area and ordered food vendors out of Boston Common, the nation's oldest park.

However, tensions began to arise around 12:30pm, when a group of boisterous counter-protesters were filmed chasing a man with a Trump campaign banner and cap, shouting and swearing at him.

Other counter-protesters intervened and helped the man safely over a fence to where the conservative rally was to be staged.

A black-clad counter-protester also grabbed an American flag out of an elderly woman's hands, and she stumbled and fell to the ground.

Some members of the Antifa group spoke out, including member Shane Terry, 22, who says she covers her face so that 'Nazis can't find me on social media'.

There are uniformed officers from all over the state along with Boston firefighters from the rapid response team standing among the crowd.

Joe Fusco, 43, from New Hampshire says the entire event is ludicrous. 'Aren't we still the United States? So the counter protests are to stop the protest? Doesn't make sense.'

Some counter-protesters did throw bottles of urine, rocks and other 'hurtful projectiles' at police, resulting in 33 arrests by the end of the day on Saturday.

Protesters face off with riot police escorting conservative activists after they cut short their planned 'free speech' rally

Police in riot helmets stand in the way of counter-protesters, as a man in an Antifa shirt records the standoff

Counterprotesters stand in front of riot police armed with batons near a 'free speech' rally staged by conservative activists

The event was officially over before 2pm, but some remained on the streets and began to square off against riot police

A man wearing a T-shirt bearing the name of President Donald Trump, right, argues with a counter-protester after being hit by a flying plastic bottle of water near a 'free speech' rally staged by conservative activists

The small right-wing group huddled in a circle at the park as barricades fenced them off from the thousands of counter-protesters who came to drown out their event. Around 1pm, the few dozen rally attendees left the park

An estimated crowd of up to 40,000 people march towards the Boston Commons to protest the Boston Free Speech Rally

Counter-protesters from Black Lives Matter and other groups denounced racism and anti-Semitism while they marched from the city's Roxbury neighborhood to the Common

Despite the police presence, minor scuffles and arguments broke out among the opposing groups shortly after noon

Antifa member Shane Terry, 22, (center wearing glasses) says she covers her face so that 'Nazis can't find me on social media'

Some counterprotesters dressed entirely in black and wore bandannas over their faces. They chanted anti-Nazi and anti-fascism slogans, and waved signs that said: 'Make Nazis Afraid Again,' 'Love your neighbor,' 'Resist fascism' and 'Hate never made U.S. great.'

Others carried a large banner that read: 'SMASH WHITE SUPREMACY.'

'I came out today to show support for the black community and for all minority communities,' said Rockeem Robinson, 21, a youth counselor from Cambridge.

He said he wasn't concerned about his personal safety because he felt more support on his side.

Katie Griffiths, 48, a social worker also from Cambridge, who works with members of poor and minority communities, said she finds the hate and violence happening 'very scary.'

A group of protesters carry a sign referring to members of a left-leaning group at the 'free speech' rally

The thousands upon thousands of counter-protesters came armed with signs that they proudly held up as they marched

Thousands of counter-protesters gathered on Malcolm X Blvd. in Roxbury to march through the streets until they reached Boston Common, around two miles away

Chris Hood, an 18-year-old Boston resident, said: 'The point of this is to have political speech from across the spectrum, conservative, libertarian, centrist.

'This is not about Nazis. If there were Nazis here, I'd be protesting against them.'

John Medlar, one of the rally's organizers, maintained that his event was not just a right-wing gathering but a forum for all views and opinions.

The 23-year-old said to The Boston Globe: 'We want to bring together people from across the political spectrum for people to listen to.

'We want people to come away with good arguments, thinking maybe, 'Hey that's interesting, I hadn't considered that before.'

'We want to do is show people that we can listen to each other, that we can bring reasonable opinions together without resorting to violence.'

Police Commissioner William Evans said hundreds of officers - some in uniform, others undercover - would be deployed to keep the two groups apart.

The right-wing group was guarded from the counter-protesters, with uniformed police standing nearby and barricades separating them from the chanting crowd.

Boston's Democratic mayor, Marty Walsh, and Massachusetts' Republican governor, Charlie Baker, both warned that extremist unrest wouldn't be tolerated in this city famed as the cradle of American liberty.

Only a few dozen people who planned to join the 'free speech' rally could be seen at the event, huddled together at the park

The 'free speech' rally's scheduled speakers included Kyle Chapman, a California activist who was arrested at a Berkeley rally earlier this year that turned violent, and Joe Biggs, formerly of the right-wing conspiracy site Infowars

The rally comes just one week after the violent 'Unite the Right' rally in Virginia which left one woman dead and dozens more injured. Pictured: A counter-protester waving a sign that reads: 'Stop pretending your racism is patriotism'

The counter-protesters came chanting anti-Nazi slogans and waving signs condemning white nationalism, in order to stand against what they thought could turn into a platform for racist propaganda at the rally

Counter-protesters vastly outnumbered the expected attendees of the 'free speech' rally. Pictured: Trump supporters

Walsh had asked counter-protesters to avoid Boston Common, saying their presence would draw more attention to the far-right activists.

'We're urging everyone to stay away,' Walsh said.

But Monica Cannon, an organizer of the 'Fight White Supremacy' march, rejected that call.

'Ignoring a problem has never solved it,' Cannon said in a phone interview. 'We cannot continue to ignore racism, ignore white supremacism, ignore neo-Nazis and pretend it's not a problem.'

Despite his own warning, Walsh greeted counter-protesters outside Reggie Lewis Center in the city's Roxbury neighborhood before they stampeded the rally.

Although rally organizers stressed they weren't associated with any alt-right or white supremacist groups, thousands turned up in fear that white nationalists might show up in Boston anyways

Boston outlawed weapons of any kind - including sticks used to hold signs - in the protest area and ordered food vendors out of Boston Common, the nation's oldest park

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (pictured) has pleaded for counter-protesters to stay away, saying their presence would draw more attention to the far-right activists. Walsh is seen speaking with a counter-protester

Organizers of the 'Free Speech' rally denounced the violence and racist chants of the Charlottesville 'Unite the Right' protest.

'We are a coalition of libertarians, progressives, conservatives, and independents and we welcome all individuals and organizations from any political affiliations that are willing to peaceably engage in open dialogue about the threats to, and importance of, free speech and civil liberties,' the group said on Facebook.

The event's scheduled speakers include Kyle Chapman, a California activist who was arrested at a Berkeley rally earlier this year that turned violent, and Joe Biggs, formerly of the right-wing conspiracy site Infowars.

Still, opponents feared that white nationalists would show up in Boston anyway, raising the specter of ugly confrontations in the first potentially large and racially charged gathering in a major U.S. city since Charlottesville.

Last weekend's violence sparked the biggest domestic crisis yet for President Trump, who provoked ire across the political spectrum for not immediately condemning white nationalists and for praising 'very fine people' on both sides of the fight

Last week, dozens were hurt in brutal brawls between opposing groups and a woman was killed and others injured when a white nationalist allegedly drove his car into a crowd (pictured)

Heather Heyer, 32, was killed last Saturday when she was run over by a Dodge Challenger. She was a counter-protester at the Unite the Right rally. Pictured: A man in Boston holding up a sign of Heyer that proclaims her as an American hero

Walsh said the city would do whatever is necessary to head off violence initiated by either side. 'If anyone gets out of control - at all - it will be shut down,' he said. 'We will not tolerate any misbehavior, violence or vandalism whatsoever,' said Evans, Boston's top cop

Boston braced itself for what could have been a violent day with at least 500 police officers to man the streets to keep the peace between thousands of tense people

Counterprotesters from Black Lives Matter and other groups denouncing racism and anti-Semitism planned to march from the city's Roxbury neighborhood to the Common, and another group planned to rally on the steps of the Statehouse overlooking the sprawling park.

The permit issued for Saturday's noon to 2pm event on Boston Common came with severe restrictions, including a ban on backpacks, sticks and anything that could be used as a weapon.

The Boston Free Speech Coalition, which organized the event, said on Facebook that it's not affiliated with the Charlottesville rally organizers in any way.

'We are not associated with any alt-right or white supremacist groups,' it said this week, insisting: 'We are strictly about free speech.'

Walsh said the city would do whatever is necessary to head off violence initiated by either side. 'If anyone gets out of control - at all - it will be shut down,' he said.

'We will not tolerate any misbehavior, violence or vandalism whatsoever,' said Evans, Boston's top cop.

A counter demonstrator uses a lighted spray can against a white nationalist demonstrator at the entrance to Lee Park last Saturday in Charlottesville (pictured)

White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' clash with counter-protesters at the violent Virginia rally last week (pictured)

The Boston event (pictured) drew thousands of counter-protesters in wake of the deadly and unruly alt-right protesters who brought national attention in Charlottesville last week

The event winded down around 2pm, an hour after the few dozen of the Boston rally attendees had given up their post and left

Dating to 1634, Boston Common is the nation's oldest city park. The leafy downtown park is popular with locals and tourists and has been the scene of numerous rallies and protests for centuries.

A growing number of U.S. political leaders have called for statues honoring the Confederacy to be taken down, with civil rights activists charging that they promote racism.

Advocates of the statues contend they are a reminder of their heritage.

Last weekend's violence sparked the biggest domestic crisis yet for U.S. President Donald Trump, who provoked ire across the political spectrum for not immediately condemning white nationalists and for praising 'very fine people' on both sides of the fight.

Beyond the Boston rally and counter-march, protests were held on Saturday in Texas, with the Houston chapter of Black Lives Matter holding a rally to remove a 'Spirit of the Confederacy' monument from a park and civil rights activists in Dallas had a rally against white supremacy.

Removing Confederate-themed or era statues has recently gained momentum in the aftermath of Charlottesville.

The Unite the Right rally last week, which brought the clashes, was in protest against the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.