On the 28th of January, crude hand-drawn swastikas were found scraweled over nearly every column at an entrance to Union Station. No word on suspects or arrests, people are wondering if security cameras even got video of this hate crime and its perpetrators.
https://twitter.com/BoKnowsNews/status/1487061768958623744/photo/4
On the 27th of January, Code Pink held a mid-day protest in front of the White House against increasingly likely war in Ukraine. The fact that both the US and Russia posess nuclear weapons greatly increases the stakes if both countries commit troops to the same battlefield.
Video clip from longer video recorded by hidden camera at the scene 21 sec
On the 25th of January, climate activists from Declare Emergency blocked southbound traffic on Rock Creek Parkway with themselves-and a thousands pounds of coal dumped across the road. They are demanding the US government formally declare (and thus admit to) a climate emergency
On the 23ed of January, Palestininans and their allies held an emergency protest at the Israeli Embassy. This was to protest housing demolitions in Sheikh Jarrah, Naqab, and Al-Khalil. After the main protest, some of the activists pitched tents (needed when your house has been demolished) in front of the Israeli Embassy. Seven stayed on and were arrested.
Video by Laura Albast of tents raised in front of the Israeli Embassy 18 sec
Video of some of the crazier elements, plus the Proud Boys 2 min 50 sec
On the 23ed of January, thousands of anti-vaxxers as well as anti-vaccine mandate protesters descended on the Lincoln Memorial. While billed as opposing mandates, much of the imagery and speeches targetted the vaccines themselves. Present in the rally were religious extremists, the Proud Boys, and even a few people displaying swastikas. The overall event resembled a Trump rally.
Video-Patriot Front heckled, removed-and your videographer chasing their U-haul 3 min
On the 21st of January, the neo-Nazi/open Fascist group Patriot Front attempted to sieze the lead position in the antichoice/forced birth "March for Life." At first they marched forward while MPD bike cops pushed back anti-Fascist and pro-choice counterprotesters. Soon, however, they had to withdraw to the sidewalk and make a left turn out of the march.
Video-projection of "Senator Sinema is holding America hostage" 5 seconds
On the 19th of January, protesters gathered a few blocks back from the US Capitol as the Senate attempted to vote on the voting rights bill only to be blocked by a GOP filibuster. The treason of Sens Manchin and Sinema prevented any modification of filibuster rules, so the GOP now owns the election machinery in enough states to all but guarantee a Trump 2024 "win."
Two days before the annual anti-Roe v Wade forced birth march, unknown attackers vandalized BLM Plaza with "Jesus" and "All Lives Matter" graffiti. "All Lives Matter" is widely recognized as a code phrase for "White Lives Matter" or sometimes the pro-police "Blue Lives Matter." The timing and the "Jesus" scrawl suggest a connection to Friday's march.
On the 15th of January, DC's vaccine mandate covering certain indoor spaces including restaurants, bars, and gyms went into effect. To gain entry, would be patrons over age 18 must display photo ID as well as vaccine proof. Those 12-18 need vaccine proof only. The photo ID is much harder to get than the vaccine, and many unhoused folks do NOT have it. This means many places such as fast food joints where unhoused folks may go to warm up or use the toilet will be unavailable.
On the 14th of January, Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio was released from DC Jail. Reuters published a photo showing him in a T-shirt saying "Free the Proud Boys by any means necessary" and showing a man with a rifle.
On the 12th of January, protesters organzied by the Charlottesville chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America showed up at the headquarters of the US Postal Service. They were there to demand that Trump's burrowed-in, election sabotaging postmaster-general Lejoy be fired and replaced.
One of the speakers was from Mt Rainier, MD and emphasized that mail other than packages has become a rare site in her community. Another speaker called out LeJoy's efforts to turn the post office from a public service into a business that exists only to make money.
The pandemic driven shortages of 2020 are back, and this time it's not just toilet paper. At many grocery stores, you can get toilet paper but many juices are out of stock. Dairy cases which normally have seemingly endless supplies are now entirely empty in many places. Those who eat meat and eggs are seeing half-empty shelves as of Jan 11. Until deliveries get going again, this will spread to more stores and more products
Video of one of the speakers originally posted to Twitter by @EdithSteinII 46 sec
On the 11th of January, 2002, the Gates of Hell opened for business in Guantanimo Bay, Cuba. Twenty years later, Gitmo is still open and protesters around the world remembered this ugly anniversary. Here in DC, Witness Against Torture and Amnesty International held their annual protest in front of the White House.
Just over a month ago, Patriot Front's (PF)march on DC has heckled all the way back to their Arlington Cemetary pickup point. Instead of the expected three U-haul trucks they expected to ride out in, there was only one. The other two were out of action. PF claims they were destroyed by an opposing anti-Fascist strike team. Note that Patriot Front intends to return to DC on Jan 21 for the forced-birth march
The Supreme Court appears poised to kill Roe v Wade, and the religious right is smelling blood. On Jan 21, probably about 1/4 million of them will pack the so-called "March for Life," marching shoulder to shoulder with no masks while shouting. Meanwhile, DC has become #1 Covid/Omicron hotspot in the entire US. That could turn this event into a superspreader on the scale of Sturgis 2020-a "March for Death."
Video-2021 in activism as seen from DC 16 min 40 sec
The past year in activism and politics, from the storming of the US Capitol by coup plotters to pipeline fights to the abortion showdowns
1: 2020 election battles culminate as fascist coup attempt storm US Capitol.
2: Jan-Feb: sudden vacuum as fascists retreat from failed coup attempt-no trouble at Inauguration. Giant sucking sound as combat just stops inconclusively
On the 22nd of December, protesters showed up at a Chase Bank branch on K st. This was just three days after Wet'suwet'en land defenders again evicted Coastal Gaslink construction crews from unceded First Nations' land. Chase Bank is funding the attempt to build this fracked gas pipeline over land the Wet'suwet'en have never ceded, surrendered, or yielded in any way to so-called "Canada."
