On January 20th (J20), the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), indiscriminately kettled and arrested over 230 individuals at a first amendment assembly. Then, on April 27th, the US Attorney’s office (USAO), led by Jenny Kerkhoff, secured a supersceding indictment of at least eight identical felony charges against each of the just over 200 individuals, thus tying up hundreds of folks and their support networks for months, if not years, of court battles and proceedings.Adding insult to injury, in the cour
Unicorn Riot has cited a DC Office of Police Complaints report confirming that police attacked protesters against Donald Trump's inauguration with no warning and considerable force.
On the 29th of June, Metro bus and rail riders gathered outside the Columbia Heights Metro station to demand an end to fare hikes and service cuts, and that big developers and businesses that depend on Metrorail to make their billions pay their fare share of the cost of keeping the system running. A specific demand was a flat $2 fare for both bus and rail, and the restoration of late-night service.Metro's riders were backed by ATU Local 689, which represented Metro's workers, the folks without which Metro does not run at all.
On the 28th of June, Donald Trump held a fundraiser for himself at Trump Hotel, drawing protesters on very short notice. Protesters invoked everything from Russiagate to Trump's war on women and the environmental record of his EPA chief Pruitt. Inside, dinner was $35,000 a plate, some paid as much as $110,000, and ABC News reported Trump raked in $10M from his very wealthy donors.Just ONE of those $35,000 plates could buy a $4.75 dinner for every one of the 8,000 homeless people the Washington Post admits to existing in Washington DC.
The bicycle racks at Union Station in Washington DC have become unsafe to lock a bicycle to, as bike thieves have removed many of the nuts holding the U-shaped racks to the concrete. In addition, many of them now have ordinary hex nuts, not the original security nuts holding them down. Anyone with a wrench can remove the hex nuts, and obviously someone is able to remove the security nuts as well.
Update June 27: GOP puts off vote until after July 4 recess after 6 GOP Senators say they will vote no, which would scuttle the bill.
On the 26th of June, the US Supreme Court let much of Trump's ban on Muslim travellers from six countries go into effect for 90 days. Those who could prove a connection to a US citizen or organizations were exempted. Several hours later, protesters assembled outside the Supreme Court, and attorneys were reported to be on their way to airports again.The Supreme Courts lists only a "bona fide relationship" to someone or an organization (e.g a corporation) already in the US.
On the 25th of June, the so-called "Proud boys," Richard Spencer, and Identity Evropa held a "free speech" protest on the Mall peddling a narrative that anti-fascists (antifa) oppose free speech. Rejecting the bait, anti-fascists descended instead on MPD's headquarters to condemn police violations of free speech rights such as the efforts to imprison Inauguration protesters for up to 80 years.
On the 21st of June, Judge Boasberg held a status hearing in the Federal courthouse on Const Ave for the ongoing case between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Standing Rock Sioux concerning the Dakota Access Pipeline. This was to set a schedule to determine remedies for what he held last week to be the unlawful bypass by Donald Trump of normal pipeline approval processes. As the hearing went on, the Rising Hearts Coalition held a solidarity rally outside the courthouse.
Early morning on the 21st of June, a memorial for slain Muslim teenager Nabra Hassanen was burned in Dupont Circle. It has been placed the previous night during a "Justice for Nabra" vigil.Nabra Hassanen was caught by a driver and beaten to death after the driver became enraged at a group of Muslim teenagers walking on the sidewalk. The others escaped his attack but news reports indicate she tripped on her clothing and went down, then was assaulted. Police deny that this attack was a hate crime or terrorism, claiming it was only road rage.
On the 20th of June at 10AM, DC Dept of Public Works trashed and removed tents and other property of homeless people camping under the railroad overpasses on K and L sts NE around 1st st NE.
Related:Court finds Trump's approval of DAPL violated Federal law, ruling still to come on whether pipeline must be shut down
On the 14th of June, the DC Bike Party returned to the streets for the annual Pride month ride. This ride doubled as a fundraiser for the DC Center for the LGBT Community.
On the 11th of June, the massive "Equality March" or national Pride took to the streets of DC, taking over much of the area around the White House and the Mall. In front of the White House there was booing and chants of "lock him up" throwing Trump's demand to imprison his 2016 election opponent back at him over Russiagate.Video highlights of the Equality March including booing, "Lock him up" chants at White House
Update June 11: Twitter report of Pride board member calling NJNP "terrorists," overheard saying "we don't negotiate with terrorists."
Update June 11: Twitter report of white cisgendered males throwing bottles (unknown material) and yelling racial slurs at NJNP, also report of post-Pride "fight" at Dupont Circle. Same incident or were there two?
On the evening of the 9th of June, No Justice No Pride opened the mobilization against corporate/assimilationist fake Pride with an evening march through some of the most yuppified streets in DC's GLBTQ community. A highlight of the march was a solidarity stop at Matchbox, a pizzaria being picketed by some of their workers because they fire people who object to problem working conditions.
The week following Trump’s announcement that he will pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, three individuals representing a coalition of nearly 170 groups opposing Trump’s nominees to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) disrupted a committee vote to advance the candidates. Three individuals were arrested during the committee vote.
These infrared cameras appear to be the privacy-busting Automatic License Plate Recognition cameras that MPD has installed in a few places around DC. They appear to be near-new devices, implying a spread of the cameras beyond their original locations in such places as the I-395 tunnel under the US Capitol.
On the 3rd of June, thousands gathered near the Washington Monument for the "March for Truth, one of over 100 events nationally demanding an aggressive investigation of the role of Trump, Sessions, et all in the Russian interference in the 2016 election. Many of the attendees carried signs comparing Trump's adminstration to the former Soviet Union, for which Russian President Putin one worked as a KGB agent.Russiagate is nowhere near the worst thing Trump has ever done, but it may be the most politically toxic issue he faces.
On the 2nd of June, the author of the book "Against the Fascist Creep" held a discussion at the Potter's House about the history of fascism and how it relates to current events. Four neo-Nazis in MAGA hats showed up and barged in. Antifascists posted guards all around the Nazis and photographed them. Meanwhile the free speech about the history of fascism kept right on going as though the Nazis were safely in a cage at Nuremburg.