The majority of the 230 rioters arrested during Trump’s inauguration on Friday will face charges of felony rioting, a crime which carries a maximum sentence of a decade in prison.
The charge also carries a punishment of a $25,000 fine.
Hundreds of rioters launched a violent rampage just blocks away from the White House as anti-Trump protesters smashed windows of local businesses, threw debris at police and set fire to vehicles.
One defendant told the judge that they were a journalist for the site Vocativ and should not have been arrested.
Before the parade started, clashes broke out between more than 450 debris-throwing protesters and riot police in McPherson Square.
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SWAT team in full riot gear moved in spraying pepper spray in a bid to disperse the rioters.
City police chief Peter Newsham said at least 217 people were arrested and would be held overnight before appearing in front of a judge.
‘The charge is rioting,’ he told reporters. ‘Our intention going into this event was to make zero arrests, and unfortunately they forced our hand.’
