March 2016

Climate activists protest Japanese funding for massive coal power plant in Indonesia

On the 31st of March, climate activists showed up at the Japanese Embassy to demand that the Prime Minister Abe reject plans for Japanese governmental funding of the planned Batang coal burning power plant in Indonesia. For four years Indonesian activists have stopped the plant and defended the land at the price of arrests and human rights violations. No bank will touch it, so now funding is being sought from the Japanese government.

Video from the protest at the Japanese Embassy

Protesting Japanese funding for coal burning Batang power plant in Indonesia

7 arrests at FERC in fracking protest

On the 25th of March, seven anti-fracking protesters were arrested after blockading the driveways of FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. At first they set up in front of FERC cooking up pancakes on a solar grill, while inviting FERC to send out someone to discuss the destruction of the Holleran family's maple trees to make way for a fracked gas pipeline. When FERC ignored them, they escalated, setting up a picket line from which seven activists broke away to blockade FERC's driveway.

Video by Eleanor of "Pancakes not Pipelines" action

Pancakes not Pipelines-7 arrested at FERC

Bicycle racers pour it on in training under the cherry blosssoms

On the 24th of March, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom at Haines Point. This is always a popular area for bike racers to take training rides, some of them were really pouring on the power.

Video-bike racers under the cherry trees

Bike racers under the cherry trees

Banners set up protesting Turkey's war on Kurds and possible support for ISIS

On the 24th of March, Kurdish activists displayed large banners across Mass Ave from the Turkish Embassy. The banners demanded that Turkey stop their war on the Kurdish people and stop collaborating with ISIS,also known as Daesh. The

Code Pink blockades Trump speech at AIPAC. cops get rough, arrest one

On the 21st of March, Donald Trump spoke at AIPAC along with all the other candidates except Bernie Sanders. A huge crowd jammed the area around the Verizon Center where at least Trump's speech was held. Code Pink managed to get to a strategic position limiting access to the doors and blockade it with a sit-in. The only way past was to squeeze behind the cops until cops removed other barricades to create an alternate route for the Trump supporters and other facists at AIPAC. Some of the seated blockaders were kicked-pushed and thrown by cops, one was arrested.

Video of Code Pink's blockade and rough police behavior

Code Pink's strategically positioned blockade on the sidewalk leading to the doors of the Verizon Center.

Tough,determined protest confronts Secret Service, marches on AIPAC

On the 20th of March, a massive crowd of protesters including many from Occupied Palestine rallied at the White House before marching in force on the Convention Center, where AIPAC (American Israeli Political Affairs Comittee)was meeting. Secret Service tried to disrupt the initial rally by "closing" Penn Ave but the crowd refused to move. It was nearly an hour later that everyone finally did leave the disputed area, only to stream through the streets and confront attendees at AIPAC a few blocks away. One marcher recieved minor injuries in a confrontation with a very aggressive AIPAC attendee, but for the most part it was AIPAC that was forced onto the defensive. The protest was several times larger than the past few year's AIPAC protests and much more militant.

Video-Standing up to Secret Service, then marching on AIPAC and making their delegates run a gauntlet of booing protesters

THIS is the only way the pro-Palestine march was leaving Penn Ave-at their intended time to march. Secret Service was utterly defeated in their attempt to push the previous rally into Lafayette Park.

March on AIPAC

Landowner assaulted after confronting FERC meeting over Spectra's pipeline

On the 17th of March, Nancy Vann of Resist AIM Pipeline from NY was violently removed from the room after daring to speak out at FERC's monthly meeting. She was knocked to the ground when security guards in the process of forcibly removing her denied her access to her cane. Her property was condemned by Spectra Energy for their Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) project. This time around, FERC was not sucessful in preventing photos and video from escaping the hearing room. They are known for aggression against photographers but this time they were not sucessful in concealing their violence and aggression.

Video of FERC security's violent assault on Nancy Vann

Still from the video that got out of the FERC meeting

FERC security goons assault owner of land condemned for Spectra pipeline

Contract food service workers picket USDA over demands for wage cuts

I.L. Creations or "In the Lord Creations" is a contract food service vender serving 18 Federal buildings in DC. On the 16th of March, some of their workers backed by Unite HERE picketed USDA over demands from I.L.Creations for wage and benefit cuts. At the same time they want givebacks from their workers, I.L Creations is considering buying a corporate jet, implying they have the money to pay a living wage.

Video of the picket at USDA(55 sec)

Picketing USDA over food service contractor's wage cut demands

Argentina Lower House Repeals Laws to Support Hedge Fund Debt Deal

Argentina's lower house of Congress voted 165-86 to repeal two laws that blocked the country from settling its decade-long debt dispute with a group of "hold-out" investors. A US judge approved the $4.65 billion agreement on March 2 on the condition that Argentina's congress revoke the two laws.‎ Argentina's Senate now faces an April 14 deadline to also repeal the laws.

Two arrested in banner drop on Reagan building over Honduras coup

On the 14th of March, two people were arrested after a banner was dropped inside the Ronald Reagan Building opposing the involvement of USAID in the 2009 coup in Honduras. Two of their support team were at least detained as well, security guards used a pain hold on one of them. The banner remembered Berta Caceres, an Indigenous activist murdered by the coup regime's security forces last week. USAID has an office on the Mezzanine level in the building. Security guards failed in their attempt to prevent the protest from being photographed.

Video by Rex Neon

Photo by Anya Parampil. USAID security tried to prevent this photo.

Banner Hang at Ronald Reagan Building against USAID funding coups and murder

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