December 2014

On the 28th of December, Native Americans and allies from many communities marched on the final home game of the Washington Football Team. The demand was simple: that the team change their racist name and mascot. The name originated as a reference to bounties paid to mercenaries and vigilantes for the scalps of murdered Native American men, women, and children. At one point the bounty reached $200-in 1800's dollars. To this day it is still deemed "culturally acceptable" to treat Indigenous people as "unpersons," according to multiple rally speakers. Thus, this is the one time the use of racist names and mascots in sports is still widely accepted.

Video from the protest at Fedex Field

Video of political protests and activsm spanning 2014 in Washington DC and elsewhere. The biggest campaigns have been tar sands(and the Keystone XL), fracking (and gas export at Cove Point), the Palestine War and above all else Ferguson and police brutality. Also action against the TPP and TTIP trade deals and for net neutrality, and who can forget the massive People's Climate March in New York.

Video on Archive, 720P high definition also available on same page

On the 24th of December, as shoppers raced to buy their last Yule gifts, civil rights protesters from DC Ferguson stormed the Pentagon City shopping mall and aparently shut down some of the shopping. Shoppers stood watching the protest, their minds diverted for the moment fromm spending. This is the second time DC Ferguson has occupied Pentagon City. Meanwhile, NBC News reports DC police opened fire on a man at 30th Street and Naylor Road SE and killed him. Police said he "matched a description" of a robber and fired on them first, but at least one eyewitness reports it was the police who fired first.

Youtube video of disruption in the Pentagon City mall

On the 19th of December, on 4 hours notice, civil rights protesters assembled in Anacostia,marched onto the 11th St Bridge, and held traffic. From there they marched onto DC 295 and blockaded traffic, though not holding any one line of cars directly for more than a few minutes. The cops themselves blocked traffic far longer, but the entire freeway action was deliberately limited to one hour. Local participants were nervous about mass arrests, so organizers reminded everyone of DC's "3 warning" law for arresting protesters.

After the blockade ended, protesters marched back into Anacostia and up Good Hope Road, bound for a 7PM youth summit to discuss next steps. Although in the streets, this march was structured as an educational event, and every effort was made to get cheering bystanders to join the march

Video of protesters on the 11th st Bridge and DC 295

On the 18th of December, DC homeless folks and their allies gathered at Mitch Snyder's gravesite, then marched to Freedom Plaza to an all-night vigil for those who have died on the streets while homeless. Many carried signs bearing the names of people who died on the street. At the vigil a casket is set up in a tent representing those who have died, it will be marched up to Mitch Snyder's grave site on Dec 19.

Video-The march plus interview(begins 1:42) with vigil participant who discusses Mayor-Elect Bowser's choice to support DC's Olympic bid instead of helping homeless people