A protester thanks a police officer. (Photo by Alex Edelman)

During the massive gathering of the Women’s March on Washington, D.C. Police made exactly zero arrests.

Although the Metro and streets surrounding the Capitol were packed, although there were points of mass confusion about where and when the parade would start, although there were a handful of Donald Trump fans scattered throughout the crowd, calmness ruled the day.

It was a far cry from the afternoon prior, when clashes between police and rioters broke out in downtown D.C.

Interim Police Chief Peter Newsham said that police took pains not to arrest people, noting that, earlier in the day, there were no arrests at the blockades of security checkpoints. There were also no arrests related to a massive pot giveaway or the ensuing smoking in public at Dupont Circle and near the National Mall.

But amid the mayhem, fires, and window smashing largely centered around Franklin Square in the afternoon, police made more than 200 arrests. Six officers faced minor injuries, and MPD announced today that a suspect was identified and charged with assault on a police officer while armed.

“It’s disappointing to us that this had to happen,” Newsham said, also noting that he’s “very, very pleased” by the way Metropolitan Police Department officers responded and took people into custody.

Protesters have already filed a lawsuit over alleged false arrests and excessive force.

A day later, a very different atmosphere prevailed—both in D.C. and cities around the country. Police officers, National Guardsman, and other security officers were spotted helping marchers with directions, directing traffic, taking photos, and enjoying the signs.

A Bikers For Trump rally taking place a few blocks from the Women’s March could easily have turned into a scene of chaos or violence as the two groups came into contact. But though a group of marchers briefly drowned out the group’s leader with chants, neither side engaged in any direct hostilities. When most of the marchers moved on, a few stayed to dance next to the leather clad attendees.

Elsewhere, a reporter spotted cops calling a woman over to take photos of her marcher’s “Cunts Against Trump” to send to their wives.

And many of the marchers expressed their gratitude for the police presence, thanking officers individually, cheering them on as their squad cars go by, and even singing “Happy Birthday” to one.