Warning: possible warrant checks on Metro in Anacostia when riders short on fare

A new and ugly report has shown up on Twitter that Metro police are checking for warrants when anyone comes up short on their farecard in Anacostia. Not having the money to pay one's way out of Metro is surely not probable cause to believe there is an arrest warrant out for someone, but to these racist cops it makes no difference. I've also received an in-person report that in at least some neighborhoods police have "doubled down" on violence towards African-American young men since the protests began.

These are the Twitter posts reporting this aggressive warrant checking by Metro police:

M to the B ‏@WithLoveMB 2h2 hours ago

Are y'all getting this?! Police are running folks' names through a database if they are short on their metro card. #DCFerguson
0 replies 1 retweet 1 favorite
M to the B ‏@WithLoveMB 2h2 hours ago

Last week @QueenYazi told me metro police in Anacostia run ppl's names for WARRANTS if they don't pay their fares. #DCFerguson
0 replies 4 retweets 0 favorites

For years Metro has engaged in behavior that deters ridership and encourages car ownership. They raise their fares until owning a clunker is cheaper. They have on a number of occasions set up bag search checkpoints, most recently during a fracking protest at EPA involving well water contaminated with uranium, yet declared "safe to drink." Now there are reports of pigs checking for warrants at the slightest excuse like a lost farecard or not having enough change to top up the fare at an addfare machine. That's grounds for a bill, not a warrant check!

No thanks Metro, I'd really rather walk that put up with your shit.