Protesters go on the streets in Boston, with Trump increasingly isolated

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will not be delivering Washington's most prestigious artistic awards, the latest sign of his growing isolation after one of the most disastrous weeks of his short term.

Outraged statements by leaders of his own Republican Party, the wave of defections from his economic advisers and criticism of big names in culture: deep uneasiness persists because of Trump's ambiguous words about racist violence in Charlottesville where a neo-Nazi sympathizer Threw the car into a crowd, killing a woman.

In this tense atmosphere, a rally was celebrated this Saturday in Boston. Officially in favor of freedom of expression, the protest brought together extreme right-wing militants as thousands of anti-racism marchers marched toward the center of town near the Conservative rally.

Authorities in this university city in the northeastern United States fear oversteps and heightened precautions: they banned the carrying of weapons in the area and said they would not allow the white supremacists' march to go beyond what was planned.

The counter-demonstration of leftist groups already gathered thousands of people over the weekend, some displaying posters stating "There is no place for hatred" and "Out Nazi."

"The dominant speech has taken all of this to a new level and that's what worries us," Boston Police Chief William Evans said on Friday in connection with the debate on the extreme right and racist violence in the United States. United since the episodes in Charlottesville.

"I've never seen so many people looking for confrontation," he told a news conference.

- Division -

It is precisely "the Trump administration's speech that feeds the division" to which choreographer Carmen de Lavallade referred to refuse the invitation to a White House reception, organized to deliver, on December 3, the most prestigious artistic awards of Washington, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Before her, director Norman Lear had warned that he would not either. Scrounged by controversy, singer Lionel Richie, another of the winners, explained this week that he has not yet made a decision.

Facing the denials already announced, the couple Trump announced on Saturday they will not attend the party to avoid "political interference."

But Kennedy Center officials quickly welcomed this presidential decision. "By deciding not to attend this year's events, the administration has elegantly displayed its respect for the Kennedy Center and ensures that the awards ceremony will be a special time well deserved for the winners."

- Faithful base -

It is not the first time that Donald Trump decides to disdain of a great tradition in Washington. In April, he had already decided to avoid the annual dinner of the correspondents, which brings together the cream of the American press and politics.

These are decisions that please your base, charmed by these rantings to an establishment criticized so many times during the election campaign. His most unconditional followers remain proudly loyal: six out of ten say they will not change their opinion. Do what Donald Trump does, according to Monmouth University (Aug. 10-14) with 805 respondents.

Far from giving a truce to his unpredictable declarations and tweets that have shaken Washington since he arrived at the White House on January 20, Donald Trump's "work holidays" in New Jersey and New York have been marked by controversy and unplanned announcements.

Trying to turn the page after a week shaken by the Charlottesville episodes, he convened his national security team at Camp David on Friday to address the American strategy in Afghanistan.

"An important day at Camp David with our generals and very talented military leaders. Many decisions have been taken, including some on Afghanistan, "Donald Trump wrote on Twitter this morning, without detailing what they were.

The president also thanked Steve Bannon, his controversial strategic adviser, whom he fired on Friday.