DC

It looks like the question of why police harassed homeless people camping in Franklin Square just before the George Floyd Uprising started has been answered. A "partnership between the National Park Service and ... Mayor Muriel Bowser" has fenced off the park for a major renovation project. No doubt this is to include permanent expulsion of the homeless to make way for upscale office workers and power lunches.

On the 18th of July, MPD attempted to intimidate protesters into leaving BLM Plaza-just before the "Fuck the Police" march arrived and by their presence ended the police offensive. The John Lewis Vigil and midnight yoga then took place without further harassment. En route, the march chanted "Fire, fire, gentrifier! in Adams-Morgan and other gentrified areas.

Video-marchers chant "fire, fire, gentrifier!" in Adams-Morgan 33 sec

Friday, the 17th of July was supposed to be a court-ordered deadline for ICE to release detained children so they don't get COVID-19. Instead, ICE went and got another ten-day extension, twice the 5 day average covid incubation period. In response, protesters descended on ICE with 250K signed petitions demanding these children and their families be released. Guards refused to accept the boxed petitions, claiming nobody was there.

Video-scene at the door as ICE refuses the petitions 2 min 23 sec

harass activists on Black Lives Matter Plaza for things OTHER than vending, such as setting up tables prior to the 8PM yoga session. At one point, cops attempted to arrest someone without a warrant for "fitting a description" only to be deterred and driven off by the crowd. After all this tension the yoga session drew quite a crowd.