Second night of anti-Trump protests erupt across America

THOUSANDS of anti-Trump protesters took to America's streets last night, with riots reported in Oregon.

Riots are said to have broken out last night in Oregon. Picture: Jim Ryan/The Oregonian via AP

A second night of protests against the election of Donald Trump have rocked America.

Protesters in Portland, Oregon made their feelings quite clear as thousands marched chanting “not our president” and “we reject the president-elect”.

Approximately 4,000 protesters surged into Portland’s downtown area late on Thursday night. Some are reported to have smashed windows and torched bins.

Police referred to the scenes as a riot and attempted to push the crowds back using “less lethal munitions” such as pepper spray and rubber projectiles. Video footage appears to confirm this.

Portland Police Department later confirmed at least 26 arrests had been made following last night’s protests.

Elsewhere in the country, anti-Trump marches commenced in other states, both Democratic and Republican. Cities including New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, all witnessed protests, albeit more peaceful scale than in Oregon.

Protesters in San Francisco chanted and held aloft signs demanding a re-vote. The flags of Mexico and the LGBTQ movement were proudly waved as several thousand made their way through the centre of the city.

“As a white, queer person, we need unity with people of color, we need to stand up,” said Claire Bye, a 15-year-old sophomore at Academy High School. “I’m fighting for my rights as an LGBTQ person. I’m fighting for the rights of brown people, black people, Muslim people.”

Meanwhile in Denver, Minneapolis, Baltimore and Los Angeles, protesters managed to shut down the freeways, in some cases blocking traffic going either way.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat, condemned what he called a “very, very small group of people” that damaged property or blocked traffic in a Wednesday night demonstration but said he was proud of the thousands more that peacefully protested.

“I actually thought it was a beautiful expression of democracy. I think it was a marvelous thing to see the next generation of this country get engaged and involved,” he said at a news conference, adding that at one time in his life he might have joined them.

Trump supporters have hit back on social media, accusing the protesters of failing to accept and respect democracy.