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March from World Bank to IACHR remembers Berta Cáceres

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Global Zero rallies near nuclear security summit

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

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

Protesting Japanese funding for coal burning Batang power plant in Indonesia

7 arrests at FERC in fracking protest

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

Pancakes not Pipelines-7 arrested at FERC

Bicycle racers pour it on in training under the cherry blosssoms

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

Bike racers under the cherry trees

Banners set up protesting Turkey's war on Kurds and possible support for ISIS

On the 24th of March, Kurdish activists displayed large banners across Mass Ave from the Turkish Embassy. The banners demanded that Turkey stop their war on the Kurdish people and stop collaborating with ISIS,also known as Daesh. The

Code Pink blockades Trump speech at AIPAC. cops get rough, arrest one

On the 21st of March, Donald Trump spoke at AIPAC along with all the other candidates except Bernie Sanders. A huge crowd jammed the area around the Verizon Center where at least Trump's speech was held. Code Pink managed to get to a strategic position limiting access to the doors and blockade it with a sit-in. The only way past was to squeeze behind the cops until cops removed other barricades to create an alternate route for the Trump supporters and other facists at AIPAC. Some of the seated blockaders were kicked-pushed and thrown by cops, one was arrested.

Video of Code Pink's blockade and rough police behavior

Code Pink's strategically positioned blockade on the sidewalk leading to the doors of the Verizon Center.

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