Trump praises protesters' 'passion' after calling them 'unfair'

US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday praised demonstrators for being passionate about their country, just hours after he accused them of being “professional protesters” incited by the media.

“Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud!” Trump tweeted early on Friday.

On Thursday night, the president-elect had posted: “Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!”

Mostly peaceful and orderly protests took place in at least eight cities following the Republican businessman’s defeat of Democrat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday’s election. Demonstrators have voiced concern Trump would harm Americans’ civil rights.

Trump’s critics worry that his often-inflammatory campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims, women and others - combined with support from the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists - could spark a wave of intolerance against minorities.

East Coast protests took place on Thursday in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, while on the West Coast, demonstrators rallied in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland in California, and Portland, Oregon.

After Clinton conceded defeat early on Wednesday, Trump took a far more conciliatory tone than he had often displayed during his campaign, promising to be a president for all Americans.