"I urge the authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to uphold human rights in law enforcement, including by refraining from any resort to military force when civilian authorities are capable of maintaining public order," Volker Turk told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva in a broad opening speech.

A day of opposition to Donald Trump brought out protesters in hundreds of cities across the US on Saturday, creating a split-screen contrast with a military parade in Washington promoted by the president.