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.
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Wells Fargo contingents not seen in DC's least corporate Pride in years On the 9th of June,Wells Fargo apparently did not march in the Capitol Pride parade. They were not seen from a vantage point near Dupont Circle where every contingent could be seen, and neither they nor MPD appeared on the Pride Guide's list of parade participants. David Thurston reports MPD's "LGBT Liason unit" led the parade, but they were far out front, unknown if they were an official contingent.
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Unicorn Riot got this photo of a cop who testified at the last J20 trial in this pro-brutality T-shirt
Rev Hagler taking a lead role as activists march to the Capitol visitor center
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
Remembrances on the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, as Palestinians refer to the events of 1948 leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and the creation of Israel, one day after the Trump administration moved the US embassy to Jerusalem.
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
On the 30th of May, the ACLU hosted the #ReformDCJustice candidate's forum for DC Council Chair and at-large candidates. Two at-large candidates seeking to unseat Anita Bonds were present, Anita Bonds was a no-show. The ACLU, Black Lives Matter, and No Justice No Pride would have been a tough audience for a councilmember known to answer to big buisness and gentrifiers, and who attended Trump's inauguration. Issues from Stop and Frisk to sex work to Amazon's efforts to invade DC came up during the forum.
Video: Jeremiah Lowery on Amazon vs homeless funding, Lowery vs Goodwin on sex work legalization
On the 28th of May, the CISPES Solidarity Cyclers Ride for 2018 returned to DC after three days and about 170 miles on the road. This year, the route was changed to avoid flooding or flood-damaged trails in Fredrick, MD. The normal route is 180 miles, this year's route was a bit less. The ride raised about $14,000 for CISPES and their solidarity work for hard-pressed Salvadorans and Salvadoran migrants.
Video-the ride arrives back in DC, with interview of one participant
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Video-An attorney retained by Jeff Price's family speaks at the rally (15m)
Early in May 2018, DC police escalated their war on Black youth riding dirt bikes and ATV's by killing dirt bike rider Jeffery Price in NE. Cops chased him in violation of the city's no-chase rule, and used an SUV to force a fatal collision at Fitch Place and Division Avenue, NE On the 15th of June, community activists held a protest rally at the same location.
Poor People's Campaign activists taking direct action to protest thge Supreme Court's partisan decision enabling the continuing disenfranchisement of US voters.Video Link
This is not the first time small children have been dragged from their parents and interned in camps
Video: speakers including two members of Congress describe the prisons and invoke past horrors
On the 14th of June, migrant rights activists gathered for the "Families Belong Together" protest against the Trump/Sessions policy of separating families at the border. Many of the protesters invoked Nazi Germany and called Trump's policy "evil."
It has been confirmed that in addition to the MPD officers spotted marching ahead of the Pride parade by David Thursten, transgender MPD officer Jessica Hawkins marched in uniform, solo, with the transgender flag. At one point, MPD retweeted a video showing her, then realized people in the background were chanting "fuck the police" and pulled down their retweet.
Densely packed bikes as the ride leaves Dupont Circle
On the 13th of June, the DC Bike Party held their Pride-themed June 2018 ride. This ride was very large, and when the ride went to the basilica at Catholic University and circled the street in front of it not all of the ride would fit in the circle at one due to its size.
Video from the start of the ride plus the visit to the Basilica
Waiting for sunset
Video including part of the statement by Jerome Succor Aba read out at the Iftar
On the 12th of June, multiple organizations held the DC Resistance Iftar on Freedom Plaza. Iftar is the Islamic traditional sunset breaking of the fast during Ramadan. Community Iftars around issues of concern to all are part of this tradition. Before the sun set on the DC Resistance Iftar, speakers condemned Trump's travel ban US support for the brutal regime in the Phillipines and the ongoing siege of Gaza.