
Violence has broken out at anti-Trump rallies across America overnight as tens of thousands marched against the President-elect before angry mobs attacked police, started fires and shut down highways.

The streets of downtown Oakland in California were choked with smoke Thursday as police launched tear gas and protesters lit fires, in what became by some distance the most violent of the many protests against the election of Donald Trump.

More than 6,000 protesters were seen on the streets of Oakland with an initially peaceful march down a cop-lined street turning nasty after some protesters threw bottles at officers and torched a police car. An office block was also attacked, daubed with 'f*** Trump' and 'kill Trump' graffiti and then set alight.

And thousands more filled streets in Los Angeles before taking over the 110 Freeway while other protesters gathered outside City Hall, lighting fires and waving Trump heads on sticks. There were 14 arrests.

In New York, home of the President-elect, at least 30 people were arrested when cops cracked down on twin demonstrations in Columbus Circle and at Trump Tower.

As many as 7,500 demonstrators were believed to have been split between the two locations, chanting 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Donald Trump, go away, racist, sexist, anti-gay.'

Cher and Madonna were among the NYC protesters, with Cher telling one supporter they needed to 'fight.'

Trump's poll-defying win has sparked a wave of similar rallies across the country. Protests stopped traffic in Chicago, Illinois; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco, California, among many others.

Outside the White House, a candlelit vigil was being held in protest against Mr Trump's inflammatory and divisive brand of politics. But even peaceful protests in that city went awry, with at least one protester being bundled into the back of a van by the Secret Service.

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Oakland, CA

Oakland: Some people were seen burning objects in the streets, while others tried to get onto the I-90, but were blocked by cops

Oakland: People carrying placards reading 'Women against Trump' and 'Not my president' march through the streets

Oakland: A member of the public tries to scrub away 'Kill Trump' graffiti as demonstrators riot in California

Oakland: Protesters clash with police in Oakland, California, where one of the most violent rallies was held Wednesday

Oakland: Demonstrators run on Telegraph Avenue after police deployed tear gas during a demonstration in the city

Oakland: Half a dozen police officers pin down a protester amid arrests across America overnight

Oakland: Police try to control chaos at an office building that was attacked, graffitied and then set alight

Oakland: A peaceful protest turned violent Thursday, resulting in rioters setting fires and police firing tear gas

Oakland: Planks of wood, cones and other detritus is set alight in the city, close to San Francisco

Oakland: A protester shoots fireworks at police officers during rioting in Oakland, California, on Wednesday

Oakland: A protester throws a bottle at police officers as violence boiled over after a tumultuous 24 hours

Oakland: The protest had begun peacefully, but descended into violence after protesters threw glass bottles at a police wall

Oakland: As property damage spread, this AT&T truck was engulfed in flames during the protests

Oakland: A police officer clears a path into a burning building during an anti-Trump protest in Oakland

Oakland: Protesters also smashed up this police cruiser during the riot on Wednesday evening

Oakland: Police form a barrier after demonstrators set fires on Telegraph Avenue

Oakland: Police marched onto the scene (left) while protesters fed the flames (right)

Held: Police in riot helmets and armed with batons arrested this suspect amid violence in the city

Masses of protesters - more than 6,000, according to the East Bay Times marched down a cop-lined Broadway, protesting the election of Donald Trump.

The group had convened in Frank Ogawa Plaza for a peaceful but passionate protest - that plan, however, went to pieces after 8pm after the crowd threw glass bottles at the police line.

The cops responded in kind, firing incendiary devices into the crowd as unlawful assembly orders were read out.

Two groups were still contained by police in the area, feeding fires and being blocked from entering the I-90.

It's not yet clear how many - if any - were arrested in that incident, but one person was taken in after shining a laser at a police helicopter - something that cops say is a federal offense.

Twitter videos showed many fires burning in downtown streets, and cops marching in formation on protesters.

New York City, NY

New York City: Thousands - including Cher (circled) packed the streets of New York as they marched more than 40 blocks from Union Square to Trump Tower

New York City: Angry demonstrators hung effigies of Donald Trump as they descended on Columbus Circle, Manhattan, Wednesday night

New York City: Thousands packed into Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan as Anti-Trump rallies sprung up across the country

New York City: People take part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump outside Trump Towers

New York City: The massive protest in Trump's own city eventually carried the crowd to the doors of Trump Tower

New York City: Demonstrators began burning American Flags after the procession moved from Columbus Circle to the steps of Trump Tower

New York City: A close up of a US flag torched by protesters in an act that will upset many Americans

New York City: Protesters furious about the election of Donald Trump lit the flags ablaze outside Trump Tower

New York City: 'Love Trumps Hate' and 'Love = Resistance' were among the placards on show at Columbus Circle Wednesday

New York City: At a rally at Columbus Circle, protesters held signs reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'United To Stop Hate'

New York City: Protesters amass outside Trump Tower, waving placards complaining that Trump got in even though Hillary Clinton won the popular vote

New York City: A ring of steel is formed by police to stop the billionaire's building targeted by the thousands who gathered there

Crowds of disgruntled voters packed into the northern plaza of Union Square, in Downtown Manhattan tonight - among them pop star Cher. One protester announced on Facebook: 'Cher just told me we have to fight. I trust in Cher.'

Madonna posted footage of crowds chanting 'Not my President!' on her Instagram feed.

The rally, organised by a group called Socialist Alternative, called on people to 'build a movement to fight racism, sexism, and Islamophobia'.

Among the crowd was teacher Julia Dunn, who told NBC 4 New York: 'There's a man who's the human embodiment of hate who's going to become our next president, so the best thing we can do is try to connect with people who are representing love and connection.'

'Fight white power' and 'Love Trumps Hate' were printed across dozens of placards as people voiced their anger over the election result.

There were reports of 'multiple arrests' as the crowd started their march 40 blocks uptown towards Trump Towers. Father Craig Wolf was reportedly detained as he marched with his 15-year-old daughter and her friends, and NBC later reported at least 30 arrests.

One woman taking part in the event was Julie Rossman, 30, who told DNA Info: 'He is a misogynist, he's a racist, and he ran a campaign on hate and lies.'

In Columbus Circle demonstrators hung a plastic effigy of Donald Trump as cries of 'Black Lives Matter' rang out across the crowd.

At around 8pm, NYPD officers outside Trump Hotel & Tower attempted to break up the crowds and move them onto the sidewalk.

Video on Twitter shows rows of police standing in the road as a robotic voice warned that anyone refusing to leave the street would be arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Thousands packed into Columbus Circle, Manhattan, on Wednesday night as news of Trump's shock victory took hold

New York City: Hundreds gathered at an anti-Trump rally at Columbus Circle, Manhattan as the nation reacted to his victory

New York City: Thousands signed up to join the rallies in New York City on Wednesday night. Pictured, Columbus Circle

New York City: This young woman sobs as she is hugged in Manhattan amid unrest after Trump's election

Los Angeles , CA

Countless thousands of protesters were seen across LA's streets, swarming in what was described by CBS as an apparently disorganized protest, with no particular start or end point.

As time wore on, the crowd looked increasingly out of control, it said.

Many of the protesters took over the 110 Freeway, stopping traffic completely.

Others headed to City Hall, where they lit fires on the steps and waved around placard and signs - as well as a papier mâché Donald Trump head on a stick. Police eventually dispersed the crowd around the fires and put them out.

Los Angeles: Protesters lit fires on the steps of City Hall in Los Angeles in the middle of an apparently disorganized protest

Los Angeles: A protester confronts police as people shut down the 101 Freeway following a rally to protest the election result

Los Angeles: Several officers were pictured holding down a demonstrator following a rally on the 101 Freeway

Los Angeles: Protesters marched onto the 101 Freeway, a major thoroughfare in the city, forcing police to stop traffic

Los Angeles: A demonstrator was handcuffed and arrested by police following a rally to protest against Trump's victory

Los Angeles: The busy Hollywood 101 Freeway was completely shut down amid the unrest, with drivers out of their cars

Los Angeles: Demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway in protest of the election result

Los Angeles: With the American flag draped over his mouth, one protester put his hands up in apparent surrender when he approached police

Los Angeles: The protester then dropped to his knees and flashed the peace sign in front of heavily armed officers

Los Angeles: One protester was seen in an angry confrontation with a police officer following a protest on the 101 Freeway

Los Angeles: For several hours there has been a stand-off with police who lined up in riot gear

Los Angeles: California Highway Patrol deputies are deployed as demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway just north of Los Angeles City Hall

Los Angeles: People also carried banners demanding protection for those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities

Los Angeles: A man was seen throwing his bike towards police as demonstrators shut down the 101 Freeway

Los Angeles: One police officer, wearing riot gear, was pictured grabbing one of the protesters before arresting him

Los Angeles: Police arrested a man after demonstrators shut down the 101 Freeway following the major protest

Los Angeles: Trump made an appearance as a head on a stick (left) and a pinata (right) - the latter showing the level of resentment he has built up in the Hispanic community

Los Angeles: Some of the signs were more direct than others. Elsewhere, a large group of protesters took over 110 Freeway

Los Angeles: Police eventually put out the City Hall fires using extinguishers after moving crowds away

Los Angeles: People march as they protest the election of Republican Donald Trump as president in downtown Los Angeles

Los Angeles: Protester waves a Mexican flag outside City Hall in the Californian city

Seattle, WA

A socialist councilwoman's call for a protest was met in mass in Seattle, KIRO 7 reported.

Kshama Sawant called for a massive protest on Wednesday night and a nationwide shutdown on Inauguration Day. 'I appeal to you, [Wednesday] at 4 o'clock, at Westlake [Park], let's have a massive protest, and tell America we do not accept a racist agenda,' she said.

And so at 4pm hundreds began to amass in the park, objecting through bullhorns to being ruled by billionaires. Their numbers swelled until thousands were amassing downtown.

They then traveled to Capitol Hill, and on into the University District.

In a separate incident, five people were shot dead at around 7am, while the protest was ongoing. Police have said there was no link between the two events.

Seattle: A woman yells in a protest against Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Five people were shot in downtown Seattle at the same time as the protest, but police said it was not connected

Seattle: Smoke from a fire-extinguisher blankets a crowd during the Seattle protest march

Seattle: A protester (left) yells, while one of her compatriots wears a US flag emblazoned with corporate logos in protest at the Trump presidency (right)

Seattle: Thousands of people march through Seattle against Donald Trump

Seattle: This protest was suggested by local councilwoman Kshama Sawant who advised people to 'tell America we do not accept a racist agenda'

Seattle, Washington: A protester holds a sign that reads 'Love Trumps Hate' during a protest in the city

New Orleans, LA

Dozens of protesters gathered in Lee Circle to protest the election, setting fire to an effigy of Trump and vandalizing the monument - dedicated to Confederate general Robert E Lee - with spray-painted slogans.

Among the slogans on the pillar and its base were 'Black Power,' 'Dismantle White Supremacy' and 'F*** Trump,' NOLA.com reported.

The protesters chanted 'No Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!'

Local Monica Jean, who declined to give her last name, told the crowd: 'I am a gay Latina woman. Last night, I found out that most of my country hates me.'

A nearby Chase Bank window was also broken after the protest peeled away from the monument and went down St Charles Avenue. Passersby said masked men were responsible.

New Orleans: Dozens of protesters occupied Lee Circle, spray-painting the Robert E Lee monument with 'Black Power' slogans and setting a Trump effigy on fire

New Orleans: After protesting at the monument, they left and walked down St Charles Avenue, where a Chase Bank window was broken

San Francisco , CA

Thousands of protesters filled downtown San Francisco before heading up to the Castro District.

Cable car lines were down while the protest passed under the cables, with some holding signs and placards reading 'Dump Trump' and 'Build Bridges, Not Walls.'

Chants of 'f*** Donald Trump' and 'No racist USA, no Trump, no KKK,' were reported by Hoodline as the masses marched, some with children in pushchairs.

San Francisco: Demonstrators carrying placards march on Market Street on Thursday

San Francisco: The crowd started downtown and headed to the Castro District

San Francisco: Effigies of Trump were held up, along with signs, requiring power to the cable car cables to be shut down

San Francisco: This man expressed his anger by graffiti-ing the US flag, suggesting the red represents blood

Philadelphia, PA

The city of brotherly love was showing precious little love for Donald Trump, as a march that started at The University of Pennsylvania became a rally at City Hall.

That rally attracted hundreds, then around 1,000, people who headed out onto the streets, protesting 'We're not Trump's America.'

The group marched to Temple University, causing delays for traffic, and then on through the city.

A US flag was burned at Temple University, The Tab reported.

Philadelphia: Furious protesters in the city of brotherly love started at the University of Pennsylvania before heading on to City Hall and then on into the city,

Philadelphia: The number of Philly protesters swelled to around 1,000

Chicago, IL

The streets of Chicago, Illinois, were overrun with protesters Wednesday night as anti-Trump fever took hold.

A small group of demonstrators were picketing the Trump International Hotel and Tower in the city in the afternoon. They were later joined by dozens more before taking their protests to the streets.

Thousands of activists carrying signs reading 'stop Trump!' and 'shut down white supremacy' marched through the streets of the Loop, blocking traffic and surrounding cars.

Anti-Trump protester Sam Barber Kennedy told ABC 7: ' We're just not happy about Trump. He's a bigot. We can't have that as the face of America. We're a joke of the world.'

Chicago: Huge crowds of protesters are pictured carrying placards in downtown Chicago following the shock election result

Chicago: Protesters march on Trump Tower in Chicago, watched by police

Chicago: Thousands of people were seen protesting the Republican President-elect Donald Trump

Chicago: Protesters hold aloft a giant 'baby Trump' placard and posters with the 1984-inspired slogans 'War is Peace' and 'Ignorance is Strength' as they march through Chicago

Chicago: At Trump International Hotel and Tower, activists carried signs reading: 'Stop Trump! Shut down white supremacy'

Chicago: Demonstrators protest on Michigan Avenue as thousands of people across the United States took to the streets in protest

Boston, MA

A small crowd of around 50 who gathered at Boston Common to protest around 7pm swelled into a crowd of 4,000, according to police, as incandescent Bostonians descended on the area.

Local government dispatched 75 officers as a precaution, Patch.com reported, but the protest - organized by Boston Socialist Alternative - soon swelled to gargantuan proportions.

Female and male protesters started a call-and-response chant of 'My p***y, my choice' and 'Your p***y, your choice,' as they occupied the space.

Their numbers were added to by others from a separate anti-Dakota Access Pipeline event that had taken place earlier in the day, and they soon joined the chants of 'F*** your wall.'

The protest eventually went mobile, marching past the State House under the watchful eyes of police.

Boston: Around 50 people gathered on Boston Common in the early evening, but those numbers swelled into the thousands as the night wore on

Boston: The protest then went mobile, marching up to the steps of the State House. The initial protest was organized by groups such as Boston Socialist Alternative, but quickly drew in people of all political affiliations

Boston: Protesters wearing the 'V For Vendetta' masks associated with the Anonymous online movement were also present at the event

Boston: Protesters hold up signs and yell during a protest against the election of Donald Trump on Boston Common

Boston: This protester holds a sign listing the people she believes will be failed by Trump after his win

Portland, OR

American flags were set ablaze in the hipster capital as dozens of people blocked traffic and forced delays on two rail lines, and that number ultimately swelled to around 2,000 according to KOIN.

Earlier in the evening, when there were just a few protesters gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square, Trump supporters had arrived to jeer at and taunt them.

At one point, one of the Trump backers was chased across the square and hit in the back with a skateboard. That almost broke into a full-on fight but it was ultimately broken up.

A separate group on the march swelled in numbers as it blocked roads downtown and in north-east Portland. At one point, a small group of people burned an American flag.

It then merged with another group at Pioneer Courthouse Square, increasing numbers dramatically.

Portland: An American flag is set ablaze in the center of Portland, where dozens had gathered to block traffic and train lines

Portland: Thousands marched across roads and rail tracks, causing delays, in Portland

Portland: Traffic was held up as protesters blocked streets and highways

Portland: Though the march was peaceful, some got into fights with Trump supporters who turned up to jeer at the crowd early in the evening. At one point a Trump fan was chased away and hit in the back of the head with a skateboard

Richmond , VA

Hundreds of protesters in Richmond took their anger onto the I-95, WTVR reported.

The march began at Virginia Commonwealth University, before proceeding onto Broad Street and Belvidere, then down the south ramp of the Interstate.

The group stopped traffic there, but were removed by police. It's not yet clear whether there were any arrests.

They then looped back around and to the VCU campus. Some then peeled away to protest at the Virginia State Capital.

One Twitter video showed the group marching down the I-95. Another showed the group occupying a wide street, raising banners painted with the gay pride colors, and another designed to look like an upside-down US flag.

Richmond: A group of hundreds gathered at Virginia Commonwealth University before marching on the city

Richmond: The group then marched onto the I-95, snarling up traffic until they were moved on by police. It's not clear whether there were any arrests

Richmond: The group then looped back around to the university. Some of them separated and went on to protest at the Virginia State Capital building

Washington, DC

Protesters gathered for a second night outside the White House before marching to picket the new Trump International Hotel in Washington DC - but their initially peaceful protest also ended with arrests.

Disappointed voters of all ages lit candles before moving on to Trump's new hotel. There, people's chants of 'say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here' were met with cheers. Others chanted: 'They go low, we go high'.

As the night wore on, however, things became less placid; a flag was burned in the street, and later ABC 7's Tim Barber tweeted a photograph of a man being handcuffed and bundled into a van by Secret Service.

He had reported of a 'scuffle' just shortly before, although between whom was not clear.

Washington, DC: An initially peaceful protest in the seat of government ended with at least one person being arrested by the Secret Service, apparently after a scuffle

Washington, DC: Hitting out against Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric on the campaign trail, people gather outside the White House before moving on to the new Trump hotel

Washington, DC: Angry voters carried signs criticizing Trump's brand of inflammatory and divisive politics outside the White House

Washington, DC: The protest hard started out more placidly with a candlelight vigil outside the White House

The White House: Peaceful demonstrators light candles in a sign of peaceful protest against Donald Trump's divisive politics

Washington, DC: 'Dump Trump' and 'Unfit to serve' were among the placards carried by frustrated voters outside the White House

Washington, DC: The candlelight vigil outside the White House later moved to outside Trump's new hotel in Washington DC

Across the country

Other cities affected by protests included San Diego, California; Dallas, Texas; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

They followed election-night protests that took place on university campuses in Democrat states, after alcohol-fueled parties descended into wakes as swathes of Republican red spread across the map.

Hundreds of people in Philadelphia and Seattle marched in the early hours as Trump's win was confirmed.

Police said 500 angry voters swarmed onto streets in and around the University of California, Los Angeles, shouting anti-Trump expletives and lighting flares.

San Diego, CA: Demonstrators walk through Downtown San Diego in protest to the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States

San Diego, CA: Faith Attaguile holds a placard reading 'Not my president' and chants as she protests against president-elect Donald Trump

San Diego, CA: A crowd of hundreds protest against Trump at a march downtown on Wednesday evening

San Diego, CA: A crowd of around 300 people marches down Broadway overnight after the most divisive election campaign in living memory

San Diego, CA: Jocelyn Rodriguez, 20, (center) and her sister Michelle Rodriguez, 16, hold hands as they protest the election result

Las Vegas, Nevada: Kid Crawford of Las Vegas chants during a protest march against the election of Republican Donald Trump

Las Vegas, Nevada: The group then waved placards near the Trump International Hotel & Tower in the city

On the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, a group of around 30 Trump supporters tried to shout down demonstrators, the LA Times reports.