The June 10, 2018 Capital Pride festival offered a mixed bag of traditional GLBTQ themes and corporate booths. Here more than at the parade the Capital Pride board's refusal to meet demands of No Justice No Pride was on display. An MPD contingent was at the very periphery but present, and recruiters for the CIA and similar agencies were present. Especially disappointing in a world of price-gouging on HIV and similar drugs was the presence of a Gilead Sciences booth: this is the company charging $1,000 a pill for a Hepatitis C drug.
Video of the march and mass candlelight rally at the White HouseOn the 24th of May, a number of high-profile Christian pastors and church elders led a massive march on the White House against most of what Trump stands for. Organzers estimated 2,000 marchers participated, many carrying electric candles in the evening. From these lights the smoke of hate could not rise.Events began with a service at National City Christian Church, with an overflow crowd onto the steps and more people in a second church nearby.
Video from in front of Conoco-Phillips(1 min 8 sec)
In the aftermath of yet another election in Venezuala that US backed candidates failed to win, the US Dept of State is imposing more sanctions on Venezuala and multinational oil company Conoco-Phillips is attempting to sieze Venezualan oil assets including tankers. Here in DC, protesters showed up at Conoco-Phillip's lobbying office to denounce this brazen attempt at piracy
At a rally on May 11, Chelsea Manning spoke out at a rally in support of the J20 defendants. Photos and a brief audio excerpt.
Video highlights of this spectacular ride(5 min 18 sec)
On the 9th of May, a rather large DC Bike Party rode from Dupont Circle to a park in NW, and finally through Adams-Morgan, past Howard, and ended up at a warehouse on Florida Ave. Eighteen years ago, that same warehouse served as the convergence center for the A16/2000 IMF protests, where amoung other things scout bikes had been assembled.
Outside the White House, as Trump withdraws from the nuclear accord and argues the case for regime change in Iran, Code Pink responds before being drowned out by MAGA people.
On the 10th of May, former Green Scare political prisoner Danial McGowan will be speaking at 7PM at St Stephens on the Green Scare, state repression, and the J20 persecutions.
St Stephens is at 1525 Newton Street, the event will be in the sanctuary. All are welcome (except cops, Veritas operatives, and other right-wing spies).
Video highlights of the protest (55 sec)
On the 21st of October, Students Against Sweatshops picketed the Georgetown outlet of Abercrombie and Fitch. The sweatshop-friendly retailer was renamed "Abercrumble and Ditch" for their decision to refuse to sign the 2018 follow-on to the post Rana Plaza "Accord on Fire and Building Safety."
World leaders, finance ministers, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations begin the Spring International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings on the 10-year anniversary of the global financial crisis. On Tuesday the IMF's economic outlook report predicts short-term global growth to 3.9%, it highlights debt levels, trade policies, decreased labor participation and aging populations as risks to long-term growth."The IMF is saying that now is the time for countries to get their houses in order to prevent and prepare for future financial crises," noted Jubilee USA
On the 11th of April, the DC held their first fully promoted ride of the year, billed as the "Cherry Blossom Chase." The ride went over Memorial Bridge before going to Independence Ave and Haines Point under the cherry blosssoms.Video highlights of the Cherry Blossom Chase ride
Video-Activists drag a ball and chain from the health insurance lobbists to HHSOn the 9th of march, activists organized by a Single Payer Action Camp dragged a giant ball and chain from the American Health Insurance Plans office past the Canadian Embassy and the US Capitol to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Code Pink protests the "Saudi cultural and arts event" at the Kennedy Center during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. From Code Pink: The protesters will focus on bin Salman's key role in the bombing of Yemen, which has created the worldâs greatest humanitarian crisis. They will also debunk the notion that the Crown Prince is a reformer who is fighting corruption and bringing a new age of enlightenment to the kingdom.
Video-shackling Jeff Sessions in Effigy in front of the Supreme CourtOn the 26t of March, Mijente and No Justice No Pride showed up in front of the Supreme Court with a Confederate statue style effigy of Jeff Sessions. As people lined up outside the court watched, they put leg irons, chains, and handcuffs on the effigy.
On the 24th of March hundreds of thousands of mostly young students rallied on Penn Ave demanding an end to the massacres in their schools. At the very lead of the entire march was an African-American survivor of the Parkland Massacre and Black Lives Matter DC, which had sucessfully taken the lead position. National Guard trucks in the street looked like Baltimore 2015 or J20.First things first: the students themselves are directly seeking to protect themselves from being murdered, and nobody can rightfully condemn them for that whatever their position on gun ownership.
Video from the Turkish Embassy and Ambassador's Residence actionsOn the 24th of March, Kurds and allied supporters of the YPG/YPJ protested in front of the Turkish Embassy against the bombing and invasion of Afrin and Turkish threats to invade all of Kurdistan.
Video of Code Pink heckling diners and the Prince's motorcadeOn the 22nd of March, Code Pink again disrupted an event featuring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This time it was a fancy dinner at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, which attendees had to run a gauntlet of protesters to enter. One of the Code Pink activists got inside before being expelled. The Prince himself found his motorcade jeered by screaming protesters.The makeup of the crowd going to the Prince's dinner was interesting.
On the 20th of March, Puerto Ricans came to DC, outraged by the US government's refusal to help rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid and other crucial infrastructure. They held a rally outside FEMA before marching to Congress under rain so cold it was snow and sleet just a few miles north of the city.Apparently some of the Puerto Rican activists managed to get inside the Senate and protest there.
Video: Protesters charge Turkey with supporting ISIS by fighting KurdsUpdate 3-15:Turkish shelling and airstrikes kill 12, wound 60-and displace 10,000 on just March 14-15On the 13th of March, Kurds and supporters of the YPG/YPJ protested at the White House, demanding the US force an end to Turkey's bloody invasion and bombing of Afrin in Syria.
This mixtape is dedicated to the J20 Defendants who will be going to trial on March 26 2018, the German and Russian Anarchists who are facing repression right now, and the average joe trying survive this winter.
On the 12th of February, the Communications Workers of America and others protested against Trump's infrastructure proposal, scheduled for release that day. The proposal would allow new tolls on existing interstate highways for the first time-and require states or "public private parterships" (such as toll revenue) to match all Federal funds.