Race/Racism

Hundreds arrested as voting rights protesters descend on Hart Building

On the 2nd of August, the Poor People's Campaign's "Moral Mondays" string of voting rights protests culminated in a major civil disobedience centered on the Hart Senate Office Building. Hundreds were arrested outside after the Capitol Police refused to let them enter the building.

Video: Tense moments yield to civil disobedience as protesters roll in on the Hart Building 3 min

Protesters move in on the Hart building

Protesters march on police stations against Gaithersburg police shootings

On the 31st of July, protesters marched through the streets of Gaithersburg, MD for Kwamena Ocran and Ryan Leroux. Kwamena was shot and killed by Gaithersburg police in January, and Ryan shot down in a blizzard of gunfire (24 shots in all) by Montgomery County Police on Friday, July 16.

Marching on the headquarters of the Gaithersburg police

Speakers demand Cancellation of Line 3 and other pipelines as Red Road to DC totem pole walk arrives

On July 29, the House of Tears Carvers and their allies arrived on the National Mall, bringing a totem pole and ending a journey of thousands of miles. The totem pole was delivered to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (who also spoke at the rally) and to the Biden administration. Later speakers demanded that the construction of Enbridge Line 3 and other trespassing pipelines be stopped.

Video: Ojibwe elder demands Enbridge Line 3 construction be halted 3 min 32 sec

The totem pole as seen from behind the stage

Boycott Nellies block party ends in thunderous finale of dirt bikes, ATV's

On the evening of Friday, July 23, Boycott Nellies protesters returned to 9th and U, the bar having been open since the previous Sunday. This time around, ATV and dirt bike riders provided a thunderous finale in front of the near-empty bar. All the partying was in the streets.

Video of the block party and its thunderous finale 1 min 35 sec

ATV riders at Nellie's

Nellie's Sports bar tries to reopen, gets shut down by protesters, reopens again

On the 14th of July, an attempted reopening by Nellie's Sports Bar failed after community activists formed a human chain to block the doors. People are still furious about Nellie's former security guards dragging Keisha down the stairs during Pride weekend. The Friday protests were back on July 16, and on July 17 Nellies was closed, though the TV's were on and staffers inside.

Update: Nellies spotted OPEN on Sun, June 18

Chuck Modi video originally posted to Twitter of human chain blockade 29 sec

Nellies "Closed"-but staff inside and all the TVs on on July 17

Fuck July 4 march gets tons of bike cops

On the 4th of July, activists gathered at BLM Plaza, then marched through town on a "Fuck July 4, demand Black Liberation" Platform. Marchers also emphasized in chants that the US is stolen land and thus nothing to celebrate. Large numbers of bike cops followed the march, at least once at near contact range.

Video: Two Romy Starks clips of march show umbrella line up front, emphasis on stolen land 40 sec

Photo by "Wayward Streamer"

Nellies gets block party/protest for 4th weekend in a row

On the 2nd of July, BLM and HIPS activists once again blocked off 9th and U in front of Nellies Sports Bar. Nellies is now under investigation by both the DC atty general and the liquor board for that infamous dragging of a Black woman down the stairs.

Video-dance party as night falls on U St 16 sec

Pipeline protesters block White House entrances for 2nd time in 3 days

On the 30th of June, activists summoned forth by frontline Indigenous activists blockaded most vehicle entrances to the White House. At 15th and Penn, one of the blockades locked to a mock oil derrick and a mock windmill.

Video-setting up the blockades 3 min

Blockaders locked to mock oil rig and windmill

HIPS holds motorcade demanding full legalization of drugs for personal use

On the 26th of June, a small motorcade organized by HIPS (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive) wound its way through DC escorted by a banner and bullhorn contingent. They were demanding that the DC Council legalize all drugs for personal consumption, saying "every overdose death is a policy failure. The "War on Drugs" was condemned as explicitly racist.

Nellies gets another block party/protest, still CLOSED for brutality

On Friday, the 25th of June, Nellie's Sports Bar again had to remain closed as protesters descended on the intersection of 9th and U sts NW. A block party (including sexy dances) was held in what was made both a GLBTQ and sex worker friendly space, while Nellies missed out on the packed crowds that filled all the other bars on U st. This is the price of dragging a Black woman down the stairs on June 12 during Pride

Video-protesters read out demands, many more show up after dark 1 min 36 sec

Pages