Warning: Thieves have rigged Union Station Bike racks for easy removal

The bicycle racks at Union Station in Washinton DC have become unsafe to lock a bicycle to, as bike thieves have removed many of the nuts holding the U-shaped racks to the concrete. In addition, many of them now have ordinary hex nuts, not the original security nuts holding them down. Anyone with a wrench can remove the hex nuts, and obviously someone is able to remove the security nuts as well. The steel bases on each end of the U sections are small enough to pass through a U-lock.

Video: gone in 60 seconds-your bike at Union Station

Here's the problem: missing or easily removed nuts permit bike thieves to remove the entire rack from your lock. If you didn't lock through a wheel and the frame, you just lost your bike

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WERK for peace marches on Sen McConnell's home against "Trumpcare" health bill

Update June 27: GOP puts off vote until after July 4 recess after 6 GOP Senators say they will vote no, which would scuttle the bill.

On the 26th of June, the mostly GLBTQ group WERK for peace staged a dance party style march on the home of Sen majority leader Mitch McConnell. Upon arrival they threw heaps of biodegradeable confetti into the air while shutting down the entire block. WERK for Peace is demanding that Sen McConnell block Trump's healthcare bill, which would gut Medicaid and boot an estimated 22 million people off of health insurance.

Scenes from the march and at Mitch McConnell's house

Antifa protest MPD free speech violations as alt-right stages dueling "free speech" rallies

Protesting MPD's assault on free speech.

On the 25th of June, the so-called "Proud boys," Richard Spencer, and Identity Evropa held a "free speech" protest on the Mall peddling a narrative that anti-fascists (antifa) oppose free speech. Rejecting the bait, anti-fascists descended instead on MPD's headquarters to condemn police violations of free speech rights such as the efforts to imprison Inauguration protesters for up to 80 years. A second counterprotest held the high ground over the fascists on the Lincoln Memorial steps, and a second fascist rally took place at the White House

Video from both the MPD protest and the fascist rally & counterprotest at the Lincoln Memorial

Indigenous activists rally outside Federal court status hearing for potential DAPL shutdown

On the 21st of June, Judge Boasberg held a status hearing in the Federal courthouse on Const Ave for the ongoing case between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Standing Rock Sioux concerning the Dakota Access Pipeline. This was to set a schedule to determine remedies for what he held last week to be the unlawful bypass by Donald Trump of normal pipeline approval processes. As the hearing went on, the Rising Hearts Coalition held a solidarity rally outside the courthouse.

Video from the rally ending with attorney reportback from court hearings

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Supreme Court restores part of Muslim Ban, protesters show up outside

On the 26th of June, the US Supreme Court let much of Trump's ban on Muslim travellers from six countries go into effect for 90 days. Those who could prove a connection to a US citizen or organizations were exempted. Several hours later, protesters assembled outside the Supreme Court, and attorneys were reported to be on their way to airports again.

Video-protesters chant "Here hate has no home" at SCOTUS

New license plate reading cameras installed on Mass Ave near 3ed st area

Side view of license plate reading camera on Mass Ave where it passes through a construction zone near 3ed st NW.(not sure exact cross street here)

These infrared cameras appear to be the privacy-busting Automatic License Plate Recognition cameras that MPD has installed in a few places around DC. They appear to be near-new devices, implying a spread of the cameras beyond their original locations in such places as the I-395 tunnel under the US Capitol.

Park Police SWAT shuts down Black Pride event at Malcolm X Park

On the 27th of May, US Park Police, some in SWAT uniforms shut down a Black Pride event at Malcolm X Park. Other Black Pride events still going on. Reports on Twitter claim that the Capitol Pride organizers do not consider this incident to be grounds to expel police from marching in the Capitol Pride parade on June 10.

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