December 2015

Sea Shepherd members, supporters protest Japan's renewed whale hunt

On the 30th of December, protesters showed up at the Japanese Embassy to call out Japan's return to illegal commerical whaling in the Southern Ocean. Many of them were from Sea Shepherd, the world's foremost counter-poaching navy. In defiance of rulings from the International Court of Justice, Japan's "Institute for Cetacean Research" (ICR) has once again sent their ships to the Southern Ocean to kill whales.Activists say the only "research" being done is into the taste of whale meat, and the International Court of Justice agree. The ICR is killing whales anyway, and in turn theiur poaching ships are being hunted by Sea Shepherd.

video of the protest-1 min 10 sec

Protesting at the Japanese embassy against renewed whaling

Motorcycle version of Critical Mass blockades Beltway

On the 27th of December, sportbike, dirtbike, and even a few ATV riders staged something rather like a Critical Mass bicycle ride on the Capitol Beltway in PG County. For years police have been harassing African-American riders of the dirt bikes and ATV's, now they find Mad Max is a game two can play. The massive swarm took over all lanes of the southbound Beltway, alternately blocking and riding with traffic. Police batted zero, with every last rider escaping. Police cars have no more ability to kettle high performance motorcycles than airliners do to kettle fighter jets.

Youtube video posted by Alyssa Ruth, WARNING-ad supported

Still from Alyssa Ruth's Youtube video

Scrooge, Grinch celebrate DC Counil slowing down push for $15 an hour min wage

On the 22nd of December, the DC for 15 campaign to raise the minimum wage showed up at the DC Chamber of Commerce. "Scrooge" and "Grinch" were on hand to "celebrate" the success of the Chamber and the City Council in reducing the city's minimum wage increase from $15 to around $12 an hour and delaying implementation.

Video of Scrooge and Grinch at the DC Chamber of Commerce

Photo by rvltn

Scrooge and Grinch at DC Chamber of Commerce

NPS boasts of killing 26 deer in Rock Creek Park

On the 14th of December, the National Park Service issued a press release claiming to have shot and killed 26 deer in Rock Creek Park in a one-night operation. That would have to have been Dec 7, when they shut down operations in the face of protesters setting up. Either they shot deer earlier in the evening to evade protests or they waited out protesters and post-protest patrols, then returned.

Video-2015 in activism

Highlights of the past year in activism-a busy one indeed. Black Lives Matter, Baltimore, the TPP, the Pope, the Climate talks and protests and more!

Video-activism in 2015 mostly in the DC area

2015 in activism

Homeless memorial Vigil and marches remember 41 who died on the streets

On the 17th of December, the 3ed annual Homeless Memorial Vigil began with an event at Luther Place church followed by a march through traffic to Freedom Plaza. At Freedom Plaza activists and homeless residents are sleeping overnight across from Mayor Bowser's offices. This event remembers 41 homeless people who have died on DC streets this year and is demanding an end to the raids ("sweeps") on emcampments and full funding for the Homeward DC housing program

Video from the Dec 17 march in evening rush hour

Video from the Dec 18 casket march

The Dec 17 march

Marching to remember 41 homeless who died this year in DC

Gentrifying Congress Heights slumlord gets protest at his Cleveland Park home

Developer Geoff Griffis of City Partners is working with Sanford Capital's Congress Heights redevelopment project that seeks to replace the Congress Heights apartments on Alabama Ave in Anacostia with a "mixed use" project of condos, retail and office space. Since he got control of the buildings, all maintainance has stopped on the buildings in an effort to force tenants to move. On Dec 16, community organizers, tenants of Congress Heights, and their supporters descended on Geoff Griffis' posh Cleveland Park home to object in front of his neighbors to his illegal attempts to prevent tenants from buying the buildings and staying put.

Video highlights of the protest(2min 37 sec)

Gentrifying slumlord gets protesters at his house

Cove Point/gas export Protest shuts Bank of America branch

On the 16th of December, protesters opposing fracked gas export from Dominion's LNG project in Calvert County, MD showed up at the Dupont Circle branch of Bank of America. They were there to deliver a letter to the bank manager and give out fliers outside. Bank of America locked their doors, not only refusing the letter but locking out all their customers, some of whom had paid to park their cars nearby. Bank of America owns 1.4% of Dominion and lent them $4 billion for the Cove Point gas export facility. The Dupont Circle protest was part of a regional day of action against Bank of America's investments in gas export and especially Dominion's dangerous Cove Point facility.

D.C. Mayor Calls for Warrantless Searches of Ex-Prisoners

The Real News Network:
The most Democratic city in the country is also the site of some of the harshest and most racialized proposed crime legislation

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