April 2016

On the 26th of April, members of a number of environmental organizations held a rally outside the Marriot on 12th st near Metro Center denouncing the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Afterwards they sought to enter the "Open House" being held inside for a draft version of the environmental impact statment. The person in a polar bear costume was denied entry to the building, security guards collected people's signs on the way in-and they moved to interfere with anyone shooting photos or videos in the lobby.

Video showing an Alaska Native speaker followed by what happened when the polar bear and then an Indymedia photographer tried to participate in this "public event"

Purvi Patel is serving 20 years of a 46 year "feticide" sentence in Indiana over a use of pills ordered online for a self-induced abortion that left her in the hospital. Donald Trump has called for, then tried to retract his call for imprisoning women like Purvi for illegal abortions. The Susan B Anthony List and other antichoice groups have been attempting to distance themselves from Trump's call for prison terms. On the 21st of April the Susan B Anthony List held a high-profile dinner at the Andrew Mellon Auditoriam on Constitution Ave. Outside, protesters held a vigil demanding the "walk the walk" by issuing a statement calling for Purvi Patel's release.

On the 19th of April, some of DC's gentrifying developers held a "space finding" bus tour of Anacostia looking for convenient places to displace local people and build new settlements for the wealthy. Like the settlers who came before them, they found they were not welcomed by those they seek to evict from their homes. Protesters from Empower DC and Black Lives Matter blocked the streets and forced them to turn back. The Washington Business Journal. Cops ordered the bus driver to reverse out of the trap, then arrested one of the activists to retaliate for driving off the condo builders and their bus. This was the second time this same bus tour was attempted and blocked.

Very intense 3 min video cut from Empower DC's half hour video

On the 18th of April, pro-migrant protesters took over much of the area in front of the US Supreme Court as the court heard Texas's challenge to Obama's deportation relief program. Texas and other GOP controlled states are trying to block implementation of Obama's DAPA/extended DAPA programs, which "defer" deportation for those whose children were born on US soil and are thus considered citizens even by the flatly illegal settler regime that controls the part of Turtle Island called the "United States." The GOP gains votes on racism and hate, thus is trotting out every possible excuse to attack Latino families.

Video-immigration protesters hold the street after Democracy Awakinging passes through

On the 16th if April, DCMJ's full cannabis legalization activists returned to the White House, only to find Penn Ave closed, no doubt in fear of a return of the famous "51 foot joint." Undeterred, they headed to the H st side of Lafayette Park and give away cannabis seeds for free. The demand on the White House was simple: take cannabis off the DEA's "Schedule 1" total ban list.

Video of the cannabis seed giveaway near H st by the White House