On or before the 16th of December, cardboard Christmas ornaments appeared on trees outside the Church of the Pilgrim Presbyterian near Dupont Circle. The ornaments read "Black Lives Matter." This is in contrast to ugly things hung from trees or gates in other places such as Berkeley, where a dummy in an "I Can't breathe" T-shirt was hung in public.
On Dec 16, DC Council staffers walked out claiming solidarity with the protests against police murder in Ferguson, New York, and here in DC, yet refused to sign the DC Ferguson petition against jump-outs. Does this mean the DC Council wants jump-outs to continue, so long as they do not escalate all the way to chokeholds or police shootings?
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.
On the 13th of December, a march estimated by some at around 50,000 people from Freedom Plaza to the US Capitol protested the recent string of police murders of unarmed young African-American men. The "Hands up, don't shoot" and "I can't breathe" chants were heard often, referring to the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson and the chokehold death of Eric Garner in NYC.March organizers got a surprise when activists who had come to DC all the way from Ferguson but not been invited by Al Sharpton's team to speak took over the microphone.
On the 11th of December, I found roads in Rock Creek Park barricaded in preparation for "Deer Removal" or the shooting of deer by USDA "wildlife Services" at about 6:30PM. By 10:30 PM, after a flury of phone calls in an effort to organize a hasty street protest, all the barricades were gone and the killers nowhere to be found.
On the 10th of December, the Washington Post ran a front-page story about the Congressional CIA torture report. Unfortunately, this sort of journalism is the exception, not the rule there.
On the 8th of December, The National Park Service's contract deer shooters showed up the earliest they have yet been seen to kill deer in Rock Creek Park. They claim 300 deer in Rock Creek is too many, even though there are nearly 600,000 people in the surrounding city. Animal rights activists are patrolling the woods to document and when possible disrupt this "cull" of the Rock Creek DeerThe Park Service contracts USDA's "wildlife services" to do the shooting, even though Wildlife Services is notorious for cruelty to animals in other areas.
On the 7th of December, the animal rights group "Direct Action Everywhere" staged a protest in the meat department of a Safeway grocery store in Virginia. Organizers posted this video on Youtube
On the 7th of December, protesters set up a banner and a light show outside the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). They were there because negotiations for the TPP or Trans-Pacific Partnership are back in town. Protesters are demanding that the still-classified text of TPP drafts-kept secret even from members of Congress expected to vote on it-be released to the public
Despite overwhelming opposition to "fast track" and little movement internationally, Obama still hopes to get final text of the proposed TPP trade deal written this week.
http://youtu.be/cm196HOdSzI?t=1m7s
I happened to be at Politics and Prose for small business Saturday with my 93 year old mother when the president came in with his daughters. She is the grey haired lady (just got a haircut that morning!) behind Sasha's left shoulder. I confess to turning into a complete groupie in the presence of Obama's rockstar good looks and beautiful daughters, and their complete coolness.
Right-wingers are screaming online about the fact that in many places Ferguson protesters are burning the flag that flies over police stations, the flag of US imperialism. One of the flag burnings was in Chinatown, no doubt the wealthy merchants that have taken over Chinatown were glad only US flags were set on fire.
The right-wing Blaze website seems rather displeased to see a blazing US flag in Chinatown, even when the subject of the protest is murder committed by those who fly that very flag:
On the morning of November 6, 11 activists were arrested as the 4th day of blockades in a row again made it difficult for employees of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to get to their rubber stamps. One of the blockades was a die-in across 1st st NE.
On the 29th of September, a security guard at the Embassy of Ethiopia fired one shot from his sidearm at protesters opposing the current government of Ethiopia who appeared to have succeeded in entering the Embassy courtyard. Secret Service arrested the security guard, fortunately his bullet missed all the protesters. It did smash a window in a bystander's car.
Hundreds promise to protest upcoming CBC Annual Conference September 13, 2014 For immediate release: Contact: Bruce Dixon, 404-797-2087 Asantewaa Nkrumah-True, 202-821-5223 Washington, DC -- Local and nationally known African-America
CONTACT:For any inquiries https://www.facebook.com/events/1475475202699734/On site representative call 703 314 0456 ATTN: White House correspondents, Newspapers, TV, Radio, Online Publications Ride 4 LiberationAgainst Deportations and the Occupation of GazaBike riders in DC ride to express support for an end to the deportation and criminalization of immigrants in the US as well as the Israeli occupation of Palestine Washington, DC, August 2, 2014 – Bicycle riders in the nation’s capital will p
On the 27th of July, I saw these posters while riding past Union Station. They condemn Union Station for paying poverty wages while making $168 million a year, and ask people to sign a petition. The word "strike" is prominantly featured on the posters, which can be construed as a warning to Union Station to pay a living wage or else.
Critical Mass rides on the last Friday of every month in DC are growing! Although not as big as the 600 rider Bike Parties (yet), these rides now seem to get bigger every month. The July 25th ride went to the DC General/DC Jail area, then to the SE Waterfront between the Navy Yard and the river and a mid-ride stopover. After that the ride went back through town before ending at a bar just south of U st.
Critical Mass DC departs from Dupont Circle at 8PM on the last Friday of every month.
On the 23ed of July, pro-Earth and climate justice activists held an organizing meeting at MLK Library for DC activists who will be travelling to NYC for the Peoples Climate March on the UN on Sep 21. The event is still 8 weeks out, and bus captains are being recruited so charter busses can be organized to provide transportation to this event.
A Copwatch patrol discovered US Park Police shining flashlights inside the "Black Forest" woods west of 23ed st NW south of O st NW at approximately 11:20PM on May 18th, 2014. They seemed to be moving slowly, as if they were looking for something on the ground-or like they were in bear country, seeking to avoid startling anything more powerful than them. At about 11:38PM, the cops suddenly ran to their cars and left in a bug hurry, presumably responding to some other call.
On the 17th of July, Israel invaded Gaza with ground troops, a major escalation in their second Summer War against their neighbors. That same day, Code Pink counterprotested a pro-Israel rally in Farragut Square. Their Twitter feed reported "Code Pink protesting against pro-Israel rally in Farragut Square. Very angry confrontations out here." A "Bruce Majors" posted This Youtube video of the Code Pink counterprotest