DC

Democracy Spring arrives in DC

Submitted by Luke on Sun, 04/10/2016 - 15:41

On the 10th of April, the Democracy Spring march arrived in DC, many of the participants having marched all the way from Philidelphia. They are here to demand a total end to corporate and "one percenter" cash and bribery in US elections. Beginning on April 11 there will be daily sit-ins on Capitol Hill for this demand.

Stirring video with music of Democracy Spring's entry into DC

Elections/Legislation/Government
Democracy Spring enters DC

First DC bike Party of the year takes to the streets

Submitted by Luke on Sat, 04/09/2016 - 20:15

On the 8th of April, the first DC Bike Party of the year headed out at a special date and time. The ride had been scheduled to go to the cherry blossoms, but they opened and were gone early this year, ahead of the ride. The DC Bike Parties are large social bike rides that can attact up to 600 riders. Most are on the second Wednesdays of the warmer months but some are on specially chosen days. All depart from Dupont Circle shortly after 8PM.

Video highlights of the first portion of the ride

Culture/Entertainment
DC Bike Party April 8 2016

March from World Bank to IACHR remembers Berta Cáceres

Submitted by Luke on Wed, 04/06/2016 - 02:00

On the 5th of April, supporters of Indigenous rights in Honduras marched from the World Bank to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights(IACHR) to remember Berta Cáceres. She was an Indigenous activist murdered by yet to be found killers for destructive projects on Indigenous land, some of them funded by the World Bank. At the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Berta's daughter spoke to the marchers after her meeting with the commission.

Video including Berta Cáceres's daughter's complete speech and translation at the IACHR (11 min 33 sec)

Globalization/Anti-globalization
World Uprisings

Marching from the World Bank, financer of the kinds of mega-projects people are murdered over

Remembering Berta Cáceres

Anti-vivisection activists begin campaign against Skanska's business partners

Submitted by Luke on Mon, 04/04/2016 - 17:36

On the 4th of April, anti-vivisection activists showed up in front of the offices of BlackRock, which holds over 7 million shares of stock in Skanska USA construction. Skanska is building what is essentially a buried fortress vivisection laboratory for University of Washington. There were protests against BlackRock and other Skanska investors all over the continent on April 4. Here in DC activists began by fliering people going into BlackRock's building, following up on polite letters which have been ignored. This is the opening round of the DC portion of the "fracture their finances" campaign

Downloadable copy of No New Animal Lab campaign flier distributed outside BlackRock

Animal Rights

Preparing to flier BlackRock's staffers and those in other offices in the same building

Cannabis legalization activists carry 51 foot "joint" to White House

Submitted by Luke on Sat, 04/02/2016 - 22:57

On the 2nd of April, activists demanding that cannabis (marijuana) be removed from the DEA's "Schedule 1" classification marched on the White House carrying a 51 foot long mock joint. At the White House, cops claimed it was a "security threat" and it had to be carried back out. Activists then proceeded to defy the still-actve Federal ban on smoking pot on Federal government owned land. Two tickets were issued but there are no reports of actual arrests.

Video posted by DCMJ of the 51 foot "joint" in front of the White House

Culture/Entertainment
Drugs
Police/Legal/Prisons

Still from DCMJ video declared by posters "available for unrestricted media use"

51 foot joint at the White House

Ringling Brothers Circus draws protest for their animal abuse

Submitted by Luke on Sat, 04/02/2016 - 14:20

On the evening of April 1 and afternoon of April 2, animal rights activists showed up outside Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus, notorious for beating and chaining elephants, tigers, and other animals. At prior protests circus attendees have reported seeing animals beaten on-stage. This time around, protesters were emphasizing that Ringling's promise to "retire" the elephants after this year is a hoax, as the elephants are to be returned to the "Conservation for Elephant Conservation." That is Ringling's elephant training facility where most of the beatings and torture occur.

Video highlights of the April 1 and April 2 Ringings protests

Animal Rights

Outside the Verizon Center on the second day of the circus

Calling out Ringling Bros circus for animal abuse

Global Zero demands nuclear security summit discuss reducing nuclear warheads to zero

Submitted by Luke on Fri, 04/01/2016 - 17:30

On the 1st of April, Global Zero staged a protest in McPherson Square complete with a full size inflatable replica of a US nuclear missile. The protest was timed for the second day of Obama's nuclear security summit that has barricaded much of the Convention Center area. The protesters called out the summit for not considering global nuclear disarmnament as a solution to the danger that a warhead will be stolen by ISIS/Daesh or some other terrorist group. There are over 15,000 warheads, and terrorists or coup governments only need one to create a humanitarian and environmental disaster worse than Hiroshima, The dangers of dirty bombs and just plain accidents were also cited as reasons to destroy this global stockpile of death.

Video highlights of Global Zero's rally plus a clip of the security zone around the summit

Anti-War/Peace
Foreign Policy/Imperialism
Global Zero rallies near nuclear security summit

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

Submitted by Luke on Thu, 03/31/2016 - 16:21

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

Environment/Food/Health
Protesting Japanese funding for coal burning Batang power plant in Indonesia

7 arrests at FERC in fracking protest

Submitted by Luke on Mon, 03/28/2016 - 00:56

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

Environment/Food/Health
Pancakes not Pipelines-7 arrested at FERC

Bicycle racers pour it on in training under the cherry blosssoms

Submitted by Luke on Fri, 03/25/2016 - 16:34

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

Sports
Bike racers under the cherry trees

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