The government of Saudi Arabia has sentenced Ali-Mohammed al-Nimr to death by beheading followed by crucifixion of his body for participationg in anti-regime protests in 2012 at the age of 17. Six other young men face similar sentences. All of al-Nimr's appeals have been exhausted. Around the world, protesters mobilized at Saudi embassies. One of these protests began at the Saudi Embassy here in DC and marched to the White House.
On the 8th of November, reports emerged on Twitter that DC police from the 7D station shined lights into an activist home in Anacostia, and screamed at the women inside. Two cops showed up and shined lights into the house, then started screaming threats when asked why they were doing this.
Sometime over the Halloween weekend (also known as Earth Night), animal rights activsts redecorated banners on the fence of a Skanska construction site in DC. They added a reminder that Skanska is also building an underground animal testing/torture lab for the University of Wisconsin. This communique was sent anonymously to the http://nonewanimallab.com website: Activists paid a visit to a Skanska construction site in Washington, D.C.
On Halloween night, protests at the neo-Nazi National Policy Institute convention continued until the Nazis had to leave. At arount 10PM, all of the Nazis tried to flank the protesters by going around to the F st doors while protesters were on 14th st. Protesters saw this developing and charged over, getting there first. The resulting situation drew bike cops. Meanwhile, a few activists were still on 14th st. A white supremacist named Sam Dixon, former lawyer for the KKK, asked the police to arrest Sima for wearing a mask-and they complied.The F st situation was interesting.
On Halloween, the 31st of October, the neo-Nazi American Policy Institute (NPI) Convention met at the National Press Club. Many well-known white supremacists were in attendance. To get in, they had to run a gauntlet of anti-racist protesters who not only called them out on their racism but also sprayed them down with Silly String. Later, one of the Nazis was observed smoking next to the Press Club's sign "no smoking within 25 feet of entrance" sign.
Skanska is one of the largest construction companies on Earth. Skanska USA has a $90M contract with University of Washington to build an underground primate research laboratory that may also be used against other animals. On the 30th of October anti-vivisection protesters showed up in front of their Arlington, VA office. That evening two Skanska executives received protests at their homes.
On the 19th of October, there was no sign of the KKK or the rally supporting the Washington Football Team's racist name they were supposed to have. There was some suspicous activity, however. A far-right wing truck festooned with anti-abortion signs appeared-but turned out to be a local street preacher. At almost exactly the right time, the Secret Service closed off the Ellipse., as close to the "White House South Lawn" the City Paper story called for as anyone was likely to get. At about 8PM part of it was reopened.
On the 14th of October, hundreds of people turned out for a march on the American Petroleum Institute (API) against the climate chaos they are lobbying for. The march also was in opposition to the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnershop) a trade deal the oil industry had a strong role in shaping. With popular groups now doing everything possible to block ratification of the TPP, turnout for this protest mushroomed, with everyone from the SEIU to opponents of the PEPCPO/Exelon merger showing up.The protest began with a march from Franklin Square to the L st offices of API.
On the 6th of October, Code Pink disrupted a Senate Armed Services Committee to protest the bombing of a hospital by US forces in Kunduz, Afghanistan. Dr Margaret Flowers was arrested during the protest, which featured bloody doctor's clothes symbolic of the Doctors Without Borders physicians who were killed in the bombing.
On the 27th of September, the National Park Service held "Rock Creek Park Day" in and around Rock Creek Nature Center. They got an unwelcome surprise when activists opposing the shooting of deer by the Park Service arrived. This was a delegation of two activists with banners (one on a parked car, one carried), with the goal of reminding the Park Service that they are being watched.
On the 15th of September, two handpicked groups of archers will begin shooting deer in a "managed hunt in two Montgomery County parks. A lawsuit by a Bethesda resident and PETA is seeking to halt this hunt, a curious hybrid of conventional deer hunting and police/ranger deer culling programs.
The University of Washington has employed the multinational construction firm Skanska to build an underground vivisection laboratory for them. Underground it will be out of sight and armored against attack. The global No New Animal Lab campaign is mounting a pressure campaign to force Skanska to drop their contract and halt contruction of this torture chamber.
On the 8th of September, former Vice President Cheney spoke at the American Enterprise Institute(AEI) calling for sabotaging and blocking Obama's nuclear treaty with Iran. Code Pink showed up outside, denouncing Cheney as "wrong in Iraq, wrong in Iran." Several speakers noted that ISIS/Daesh would not exist if the US had not invaded Iraq, and Cheney played a large role in causing that invasion.
On the 31st of August, Direct Action Everywhere activists disrupted the Maryland State Fair where children are brainwashed into objectifying other animals to enable the exploiters to continue profiting from the animal slaughter. Row after row of animals were kept in pens as humans walked by gawking at them. Children aggressively led or rode animals around rings hoping to win ribbons.
On the 30th of August, Code Pink stages a picnic for peace with Iran and the nuclear deal that Obama has signed but some in Congress are attempting to block. US Park Police and park rangers interfered, demanding that food be served only on the curb, that not even cushions be set on the stone chairs at the chess tables, and that a woman in a chair with health issues either leave or not use the chair, Also, a very interesting dialog resulted with an Iranian resistance group that showed up to protest executions in their country.
Change the Redskins name campaign meeting Wednesday August 26th 7:30pm at Songbyrd Cafe 2475 18th St NW. Changethemascot.org, Whiteskins.org etc. Unity coalition building https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-tbOxlhvE
On the 19th of August, FOX News began their broadcast with over ten minutes of crime news, then ran a poll asking viewers if they though police street level vice squads should be reinstated. When pressed by Black Lives Matter activist over admitting that police jump-out squads exist, Police Chief Cathy Lanier blamed all jump-outs on street level vice units hunting individual drug users and small-time dealers. Previously she had denied the existance of jumpouts altogether.
On the 15th of August, vegan protesters from Direct Action Everywhere (DXE) protested inside first a Starbucks and then a Whole Foods in Baltimore. In both cases the issue was the sale of animal products. At Whole Foods extra attention was paid to the fake "cruelty-free" marketing Whole Foods is known for. Yes, people are protesting at Starbucks again... Youtube video from the Starbucks protest Youtube video from the Whole Foods protest
On the 9th of August, Vegan activists from Direct Action Everywhere entered the Whole Foods on Rockville Pike in MD and staged a noisy speakout at the back of the meat section. Protesters charged that ALL animal products sold as "humane" at Whole Foods are just as fraudulent as the now notorious eggs from caged hens, and that these labels are meaningess.One of the labels seen at Whole Foods is the "animal care certified" label that has been debunked for being used on such products as eggs from battery cage hens held 4 to a newspaper sized cage.
All this Summer FOX News has led almost every broadcast with lurid crime stories. Just yesterday someone shooting out the back window of their own car in an argument became the lead story on FOX, complete with white tourists saying they felt safer with so many cops in that part of town. This drumbeat has been in most of the major media, but FOX especially ever since the Battle of Baltimore was fought over the murder of Freddie Grey by police.