Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced criticism for describing the nationwide ‘No Kings’ demonstrations as ‘peaceful’ despite incidents in Minnesota where two individuals, including a politician, lost their lives, and numerous people sustained injuries and got arrested in various parts of the nation.

The outbreak of widespread violence occurred during President Donald Trump’s celebratory military parade in Washington D.C. and counter activities against Trump in different locations.

Turbulent situations unfolded in major cities across the United States, such as Portland, Salt Lake City, New York, Denver, and Los Angeles, as 2,000 protests erupted with an estimated total attendance of over five million people nationwide.

The deadly assassinations of Minnesota State Representative Melissa and her husband Mike Hortman also occurred early on Saturday – and are believed to be politically motivated after ‘No Kings’ flyers were found in the Trump-supporter suspect’s cars. 

One 39-year-old man who was shot during the protests in Salt Lake City, Utah, died from his injuries in hospital on Sunday, police confirmed.  

There were a total of 15 separate ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across LA Saturday – and Bass said she had the luxury of riding in a helicopter to hover over each location. 

‘Sometimes people who aren’t even a part of the main protest hang around, and then that’s when you can have trouble,’ the Democrat told KTLA5. ‘I think that is happening off and on right now, but I do think at the end of the day, this will have been a successful, peaceful day.

‘Every single one was peaceful … the Downtown one, which was a massive protest, was still overwhelmingly peaceful. I think oftentimes when you have a crowd this large, at the end, it becomes a little more difficult,’ she added. 

Bass was berated on social media after saying that the protests in her city were peaceful – while also being slammed for her narrow-minded approach when so many other cities across the country were experiencing civil unrest on Saturday. 

One person wrote: ‘By saying “mostly peaceful” they’re hoping you’ll believe that they have control of the situation.’ 

Another said: ‘She really is incompetent.’

A third person wrote: ‘Karen Bass is living in a bubble, watching chaos from a helicopter. “Overwhelmingly peaceful” is just a euphemism for a narrative that’s crumbling. When the truth is too hot to handle, they retreat to the skies. This isn’t leadership; it’s cowardic…’ 

While a fourth added: ‘So “mostly peaceful” then. At least that’s what Mayor Bass and her acquaintances, all of whom live behind gates and armed security, experienced. Keep fiddling, Karen.’

And another said: ‘Bass has no idea what’s a peaceful protest! It’s mayhem in the LA streets RIGHT NOW! She knows it. She just will not admit it! Karen Bass failed during the LA fires & is failing now! It’s all about being in power! Maybe LA & California should elect a competent mayor & governor!’  

A crowd of protestors were seen gathered in Downtown LA around 8.30pm local time, waving flags past the imposed curfew time set in place from last week’s riots. 

Although it is unclear how long law enforcement allowed them to remain in the area, footage of the demonstrators appeared to be peaceful, the outlet reported. 

‘I mean, we give them time to disperse, and if it’s clear that they are trying to leave, then there’s a level of patience. But if they are not, then it’s an unlawful assembly,’ Bass said. 

Five people were arrested in Los Angeles on Saturday for protest-related offenses. 

Meanwhile in Salt Lake City, things quickly turned violent gunshots rang out while an estimated 10,000 people gathered to protest. 

Just after 10pm, officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department were notified of shots fired while protestors marched. 

An unidentified person was shot and left with life-threatening injuries as medical personnel tended to them. 

Meanwhile, officers pursued the suspect responsible after multiple witnesses pointed him out to them at the scene. Another two people involved were arrested, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said. 

The man responsible was also shot and taken to the hospital where he is being treated under police observation, Utah News Dispatch reported. 

He was seen in dramatic pictures and videos being arrested and taken away on a stretcher by police and paramedics. 

Although investigators are still looking to see what led to the shooting, Redd said: ‘It appears they were involved at some level in the protest, or at least as part of the group that was walking.’ 

Meanwhile, 17 people were arrested in Denver, Colorado, police said. 

It is unclear who was charged, but police said those people were nabbed for resisting arrest, failure to obey lawful order, obstruction of streets and unlawful throwing of projectiles, per CBS News. 

A protester clashed with authorities near the entrance of Interstate 25 while a group allegedly attempted to enter the road. 

Other demonstrators allegedly hurled rocks and other objects at officers during the protest. 

Around 10pm, a protester reportedly started a small fire on a road that was already closed to traffic. It is unclear if that person was part of the 17 arrested. 

Thousands of people attended the protest in Denver, with police labeling them as  ‘peaceful.’ 

‘Since approximately noon today, DPD has managed five demonstrator marches near the State Capitol Building and in the downtown area. Those marches were peaceful,’ the department told the outlet. 

It was also a scene of chaos in Portland, Oregon as hundreds of protesters dressed in black clashed with federal officers at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. 

Federal officers decked out in tactical gear deployed smoke, tear gas, flash grenades and other projectiles as demonstrators threw fireworks and water bottles in response.

Some even used a stop sign to smash through one of the doors to the ICE facility.

Joseph R. Checklick Jr., 21, drove his SUV through a dispersing crowd in a parking lot in northern Virginia, which led to him ‘striking at least one person with his vehicle,’ police said in a statement.

The protest took place throughout Saturday afternoon in Culpeper, a small town roughly 70 miles from Washington, D.C.

There were huge, boisterous crowds marching, dancing, drumming, and chanting shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind ‘No Kings’ banners. 

In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress.

Mexican flags which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, also made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday.

Atlanta’s 5,000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol.

Meanwhile, Melissa Hortman and her husband Mike were killed early on Saturday morning.

Early Saturday morning a gunman, who police suspect as Vance Boelter, 57, opened fire inside the couple’s Brooklyn Park home in what authorities are calling a politically motivated incident. 

Roughly 90 minutes before, Boelter allegedly fired several shots at State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.

The Hortmans tragically died while the Hoffmans were rushed into surgery with critical injuries. They are now in recovery.

Boelter managed to slip away from law enforcement and remains on the run as of Sunday afternoon. 

Inside his car police found handmade ‘No Kings’ flyers and a hit list of prominent abortion rights campaigners, many of them Democratic lawmakers.

Boelter was a Trump supporter and opposed abortion, according to his roommate.