February 2016

On the 26th of February, Code Pink released video of Medea Benjamin confronting US Secretary of State Kerry over US sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a Wahhabi theocracy known for whippings and beheadings, with few differences for its subjects from living in Daesh's so-called "caliphate." They spend billions gotten from the world oil market on promoting their fundamentalist visions in Muslim communities around the world and they intervene in countries like Bahrain to support Sunni governments against popular uprisings. The weapons used in Saudi military interventions come from the United States

Video released by Code Pink of Media's confrontation with John Kerry over US weapons to Saudi Arabia

On the 25th of February, tenants from Museum Square and Mt Vernon Plaza backed by ONE DC and API Resistance showed up outside their landlord's office in Clarendon, VA. Originally the plan was to send a delegation inside to deliver their letter demanding an end to illegal attempts to intimidate tenants into moving out. The tenants themselves though had another idea, with almost the whole group essentially storming the building and taking over the lobby. Bush Properties accepted their letter, but the person taking denied that they were even at the right office. Organizers knew better than to buy that excuse but everyone marched back outside, chanting "we'll be back!"

Video from the Bush Properties tenant protest

On the 20th of February, a massive protest assembled in Richmond by the Capitol bell tower before marching on Dominion's headquarters. They were marching against Dominion's practice of dumping coal ash into the James River. Also present were opponents of the Atlantic Coast pipeline (fracked gas) and the LNG export plant at Cove Point, MD. All of those are Dominion projects. At the end of the march, some of the protesters occupied the Va Capitol steps, demanding that the governor come out to meet w-th them-or resign.

Video highlights of the march and occupation of the VA state Capitol steps(3 min 27 sec)

On the 19th of February, two women with a banner disrupted Mayor Bowser's ceremonial appearance at the start of demolition of part of the old St Elizebeth's psychiatric hospital. They were able to get behind the Mayor's podium and shout her down before being dragged away by dozens of men. The site is slated for replacement by a new stadium for the Washington Mystic also to be used for practice by the Wizards. Once again, professional sports is allowed to demolish public property in DC.

on Feb 15, Valentine's Day, animal rights activists distributed hundreds of valentines to Skanska executives and their neighbors, asking that construction company Skanska USA drop their contract with University of Washington to build an underground "primate reseach center" or vivisection lab.