Activists threatened with arrest for protest calling zoo a prison for animals

On the 3ed of July, activists from Direct Action Everywhere showed up at the National Zoo with fliers, signs, and a bullhorn denouncing the zoo as a prison for animals. Zoos have been compared to life in prison with no parole before. The comparison made the zoo sufficiently uncomfortable that as soon as the bullhorn started up, zoo cops responded, trying to claim ownership of the sidewalk in front of the zoo. Protesters rejected that lie, and both Park Police and MPD showed up, in the end reminding the zoo police that the zoo does not in fact own the sidewalk. Many times security guards have made that claim at a protest, and time after time even the police have had to admit this claim is a lie,

Protesters called the zoo cops' bluff, continuing to flier the numerous people going to and from the zoo at the entrance. After giving them a bit more from the bullhorn, the protesters using the bullhorn crossed the street to take advantage of this high powered bullhorn's long range to engage the zoo from out of range of further harassment by the zoo cops. Others stayed up close with more signs and fliers.

Video of the zoo protest and zoo cops trying to claim ownership of the sidewalk