At or about 10;30AM on Feb 3, 2018, two members of the US Secret Service attempted to question a person they believed to be an Indymedia videojournalist at his presumed home address. They left their black SUV at the bottom of the driveway, and very quickly found themselves back inside it with no answers at all, unable even to ask their questions before being ordered off the property.
Video of the Kurdish march and rallies raw clips by Lacy Macauley
On the 26th of January, DC area Kurds and their supporters marched on the White House to demand that the US not support Turkey's offensive against Rojava and instead impose a no-fly zone.
John Goldman is a finance manager working for the DC Public Schools who has a history of posting racist and pro-rape screeds under the name "Jack Murphy." He has been positively identified by a number of photographs, at least one showing him with known fascist and Deploraball organizer Jack Posobiec. That photo was taken at an "escape the room" event and clearly shows John Goldman AKA Jack Murphy with Jack Posobiec.
Video: Posting demands on the doors and walls of FERC
On the 18th of January, Beyond Extreme Energy and others fighting against fracked gas pipelines, fracking, and eminent domain posted their demands on the walls of FERC shortly before the agency's monthly meeting.
As fast as activists were putting up fliers demanding that FERC comply with other Federal agencies and laws, security guards ripped them down.
On Jan 11, 2018, multiple sources reported that ICE was planning to raid the Mt Pleasant 7-11 the next day. People showed up in shifts to monitor the situation throughout the day, but ICE never showed up. Word of the planned raid had leaked the previous evening, coming to the attention of migrant rights, anti-racists, and anti-fascist groups. If you see ICE agents in the community at any time, please CALL the Sanctuary DMV Hotline at 202-335-1183!
On the 10th of January, ICE agents descended on about 100 7-11 stores in a coordinated attack aimed at "interviewing" worker and delivering some kind of audits or "notices of inspection." Fortunately, only 21 arrests came from the entire sweep. Stores were hit in D.C., Maryland, Indiana, Illinois,California, Florida, Missouri, and elsewhere.
As 2017 faded into 2018, Donald Trump tweeted messages of support for protesters in Iran, where protests over price increases have escalated into street fighting and broader antigovernment demands. The scenes from Iran being played on US corporate news TV look a bit like footage from the protests of Donald Trump's own Inauguration. Of course, Trump is tweeting support for one group of protesters while trying to have 188 people sent to prison for up to 65 years for protesting him.
On the 20th of December, members of Power4PuertoRico distributed paper towels on Capitol Hill, evoking Trump's infamous paper towel tossing in his post-hurricane visit to Puerto Rico. The paper towel distrubution was to remind members of Congress that Puerto Rico cannot rebuild unless Congress passes a comprehensive aid package.
On the 17th of December, advocates of changing the Washington Football Team's name to Washington Redhawks held a pep rally before the team's 1PM game at FedEx Field. Speakers included members of the Piscataway Nation, on whose land FedEx Field sits. This was after the Washington Football Team released a Dec 13 statement condemning the "Redhawks" publicity stunt and recommitting to keeping the team's racist name.
Video: Jerusalem March highlights from Ellipse to Capitol, including Trump Hotel boofest
On the 16th of December, what may have been the largest march for Palestine in years in DC began at the Ellipse and ended at the US Capitol.
Update: Shooters return to Rock Creek Park Mon, Dec 18 in defiance of protesters demands
On the 15th of December, protesters gathered at the intersection of Military Road and Oregon Ave to oppose the shooting of deer in Rock Creek Park by the National Park Service .
NPS has been having deer shot by USDA APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) since 2013, over the heated objections of many who live near the park and other area residents.
On the 13th of December, the final DC Bike Party of 2013 took to the streets. Next ride probably April 2018.
Video from first half of the ride
This ride was quite a bit smaller than most DC Bike Partys, but it was below freezing and at one point in the ride even began to snow. The ride continued undeterred.
VIdeo from press conference in front of courthouse
On the morning of December 13, a Federal grand jury met in Virginia concerning the events of Aug 12 in Charlottesville, where one person was killed and 19 wounded by neo-Nazi car driver James Fields. Now the survivers of the attack are being harassed by prosecutors and grand jury subpeonas. Activists are advising refusal to testify as the grand jury could be also seeking to charge counterprotesters.
On the 7th of December, protesters gathered at the US Supreme Court in opposition to the recent decision to allow Trump's Muslim travel Ban to go into entirely into effect while the courts debate the ban's merits or lack therof.
Update Dec 6 8:50PM: They are back, this time all lit up. Heavy activity Oregon Ave and Beach Dr near Military Road. Protesters with cameras at Oregon & Military can deter the movement of dead deer to the "nature center" where they are processed.
On the 4th of December, the Park Service's "deer management" (killing) operation once again returned to Rock Creek Park. This time they were seeking to hide in the dark, rather than lighting themselves up like in previous years.
Video:Counterprotesters halt Nazi march on Penn Ave, swarm of police respondOn the 3rd of December, neo-Nazis attempted to march to Lafayette Park in front of the White House for a rally with speakers. They ran into stiff opposition as two different groups opposing fascism marched onto Pennsylvania Ave to confront them.The advance of the Nazis then stalled, and this was as far as they got.
Update Dec 2: Tax bill passes Senate 51-49 despite report it would add $1.4 Trillion to deficit, must still be reconciled with House bill.
Video including a speaker declaring Trump's racism as necessary to preserving extreme income inequality from first day of protest
Video overview of the protest at the Finnish Embassy
Nov 24, Black Friday was also Fur-Free Friday this year. Here in DC, animal rights activists descended on the Finnish Embassy, demanding an end to a breeding program to produce foxes up to 5 times their normal body weight for the fur trade. These "Frankenfoxes" can barely stand or move due to their excessive weight, but the fur industry cares for nothing but profits.
Update Nov 22:The "crime scene" is no longer active. Turns out Detective Suiter was killed with his own gun, in a no-cameras area, one day before he was to testify before a grand jury against a squad of indicted cops.