October 2015

Neo-Nazis at NPI convention sprayed with silly string and caught smoking

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. Security guards made no attempt to interfere with this smoking violation.

Vidoe of silly string spraying and Nazis smoking under the no-smoking sign

An attendee at the neo-Nazi "National Policy Institute" convention being sprayed with Silly String by anti-racist protesters

Silly String for Silly Nazis

Vivisection protesters descend on Skanska office, homes over U-Wa lab contract

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. This was part of the continent-wide #HauntSkanska campaign, which in turn is part of the No New Animal Lab campaign against University of Washington's under construction vivisection lab.

Video-protesters unfurl banner-state reason for this protest

Haunting Skanska

High Heel Race takes over 17th st

On the 27th of October, a huge crowd descended on 17th st to watch the annual High Heel Race. Included in the race was a "Kim Davis" themes contingent complete with clashing "Free Kim Davis" and "Do Your Job" signs

Video featuring the "Kim Davis" contingent(1 min 10 sec)

High Heel Race

Code Pink protests "Predator" drone talks at Air and Space

On the 27th of September the National Air and Space Museum hosted the "Predator: Transforming Modern Warfare with Drones" talk. The featured speaker was James G. “Snake” Clark, a former US killer drone commander. Outside Code Pink protested the talk and the drone exhibit with a banner, a mock drone, and a die-in. Attendees mostly refused Code Pink leafets detailing how many people these drones have killed.

Video of the die-in outside Air and Space

Die-in at Air and Space

Proposed $600/month rent hike at Mt Vernon Plaza apartments draws protest vigil

Mt Vernon Plaza at 10th and M sts is owned by Bush Construction Companies, the same VA landlord who is seeking to evict all residents of Museum Square in Chinatown. At Mt Vernon Plaza Bush is attempting to shake down tenants for an extra $600 a month in rent, a 50% increase. On the 26th of October, tenants held a vigil outside reinforced by activists from the Black Lives Matter movement and other community activists. Bush Construction Companies was warned that evictions would require carrying people-including community activists-physically out of the building.

Video-Reverend Hagler speaking on gentrification and displacement as racism-including a direct comparison to the displacement of and theft of land from Native Americans

Rev Hagler at Mt Vernon Plaza

Whole Foods, Trader Joes picketed over union-busting berry producer Sakuma

On the 24th of October, the IWW, , DC Fair Food, Three Part Harmony Farm, and DC Stampede showed up outside the Whole Foods at 14th and P st and the Trader Joes on 14th st for informational pickets. They were asking both chains to drop Driscoll's Berries and asking customers to refuse to buy them. Driscoll's is a major distributor for Sakuma, a berry producer known for wage theft, union busting, and even an armed raid on a camp where their workers were living.

Video of both pickets(34 sec)

Picketing Whole Foods, Trader Joes

Light brigade protests CISA Internet surveillance bill

On the 22nd of October, the Light Brigade showed up at the US Capitol to protest the CISA internet surveillance/data sharing bill. CISA is a bill to allow greatly increased data sharing between US Internet services and the US government plus all kinds of immunity from lawsuits and accountablity for the resulting privacy breaches.

Migrants march on White House demanding end to "family detention"

On the 22nd of October, migrants and their sopporters marched on the White House demanding that President Obama comply with court orders demanding an end to "family detention" of migrant mothers and their children. A Federal court has ordered an end to this outrageous violation of human rights, but the Obama admninistration is expected to appeal rather than comply.

Video-the march followed by a migrant mother explaining what detention was like

Marching against "family detention"

AHF protests Pharma's attempt to kill low income drug pricing program

On the 22nd of October, Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) showed up outside the offices of PHARMA to protest efforts by brand-name drugmakers and those Congresscritters to kill off the 340B program that provides reduced-price drug access to programs serving the poor. Some of the protesters wore pig noses symboilizing Pharma's greed. Pharma is the pharmaceutical industry lobby known or such things as injecting drug patent extension language into trade deals like the TPP. Now they are being hammered for trying to deny people who are not wealthy access to drugs treating diseases like HIV. Gilead was singled out for charging $28,500 a year for HIV treatment Stribild.

33 Sec video of the picket

No to Big Pharma's greed!

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