June 2018

The official list of contingents in the 2018 Capitol Pride parade did not include MPD, and there was a long time with nothing on the route before another, different contingent appeared to step off the parade. None the less, David Thurston got a photo of MPD officers escorted by two Pride staffers marching the route, possibly well ahead of the rest of the parade

Related video: NJNP "Cops off K" march 11PM June 9

The June 10, 2018 Capital Pride festival offered a mixed bag of traditional GLBTQ themes and corporate booths. Here more than at the parade the Capital Pride board's refusal to meet demands of No Justice No Pride was on display. An MPD contingent was at the very periphery but present, and recruiters for the CIA and similar agencies were present. Especially disappointing in a world of price-gouging on HIV and similar drugs was the presence of a Gilead Sciences booth: this is the company charging $1,000 a pill for a Hepatitis C drug.

On the 4th of June, the first of four defendents in the second J20 trial group was acquitted of all charges, and all charges dropped against the remaining defendents who were to begin trial that day in another trial group. On the 6th of June, another defendent was acquitted of all but one charge, with the jury deadlocked on the final charge of "participating in a riot." On the 7th of June, the third defendent was acquitted of APO and the jury deadlocked on all other charges. Finally, a mistrial was declared on all counts against the fourth and final defendent, the jury deadlocked.

The 5th of June marked the 4th week of the Poor People's Campaign of civil disobedience at the US Capitol and at statehouses across the continent. In this week's protest, Reverend Hagler was one of many protesters arrested inside the US Capitol rotunda

Video including scenes of Rev Hagler at the protest inside the US Capitol Rotunda

On the 2nd of June, sex workers and their allies rallied in Ward 6, home of DC Councilmember Charles Allen. Allen will decide the fate of a bill introduced by Councilmember David Grosso to decriminalize sex work in DC. The closure of sites like Backpage.com in the wake of the SESTA/FOSTA bills has created a crisis, with many sex workers becoming homeless as there is less money to be made working the streets as well as much greater risk.

Video-speaker rip the Backpage shutdown, David Grosso offers his support, and why this was in Ward 6