dcindymedia.org

On the 21st of September, activists from a number of pro-Earth, anti-fracking groups disrupted an appearance by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe at the Biennial Natural Resources and Energy Law Symposium with a custom-written peom. This occurred just before the "Natural Gas Pipelines"panel featuring a representative from Dominion and three days after Dominion formally filed for FERC to rubberstamp approval for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. This pipeline will desecrate a Native American burial ground and transport fracked gas from the Marcellus shale region.

On the 19th of September, local activist Sam Jeweler reported that security guards at Chinatown's Museum Square apartment complex expelled a group of ten tenant canvassers he was part of. The canvassers were present at the request of some of the tenants to inform others of their rights against Landlord Bush Co's planned mass eviction of everyone in the building.

Beginning on the 14th of September, Catholic Climate Movement has been fasting on water only in McPherson Square to raise awareness of climate change. This fast will run until the Pope's visit to DC. Pope Francis has himself issued statements condemning human-caused climate change. Fasters at McPherson Square and at FERC both are fasting on water-only until the Pope's visit and are coordinating their efforts.

Video interview with one of the fasters in McPherson Square

Video interviews with two participants on the 7th day of an 18 day water-only fast at the offices of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, also known as FERC. The fast is demanding and end to all issuance of permits for fossul fuel extraction by FERC. That includes gas fracking, pipelines, export facilities, all of it. FERC has responded with a gag order forbidding their staffers from talking to the activists out front.

Video-two interviews with fasters outside FERC

On the 9th of September, infamous racist Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Sarah Palin and other far-right ideologues staged a rally on the Capitol West Lawn against the Iran nuclear deal. Some among their audience had Israeli flags, no doubt AIPAC played a role in this. Code Pink showed up and took up a position effectively corking the main entrance to the entire Trump/Cruz pro-war shinding.

Video-Code Pink takes on the Trump/Cruz zoo

On the 5th of September, a "Southern Heritage Rally" waving Confederate flags showed up in Upper Senate Park, just north of the US Capitol. The Capitol Police attempted to protect them from a much larger group of anti-racist protesters but were outflanked by a street march. Protesters circled the area, got around the cops, and got between the Confederate flag wavers and their cars and Metro. This set up a "Capture the Flag" match in which several Confederate flags were captured and destroyed. The racists had to run a gauntlet of protesters to escape.

Video-protesters march around the cops, catch Confederate flag waving racists

On the 2nd of September, the six killer cops responsible for the death of Freddie Grey faced a courtroom for their first hearing. Their defense motions to throw out the charges entirely was rejected, but the court severed the cases from each other. Thus there will be six separate cases, none hearing ALL of the evidence. This reduced the odds of convicting any of these murderers. Outside protesters marched and video has emerged of one of them being tackled and arrested by Baltimore's worst. At 6;30PM, protesters returned to the courthouse for the weekly "West Wednesday" protest organized by the family of Tyrone West. Tyrone was beaten to death by Baltimore police after a traffic stop, and no charges were filed against the cops. All of these protests have been peaceful, yet cops glowered and stood ostentatously blocking exit routes.

Video-Baltimore Bloc's and Jessa's clips of protester tackled,Taser held to his neck followed by police charge at crowd

Video-West Wednesday marches from courthouse to City Hall

On the 26th of August, activists delivered twelve boxes of signed petitions to the Dept of Justice demanding they take over investigation of the death in custody of Sandra Bland. Waller County, Texas officials are trying to sell their claim that her death was a suicide. On the other hand, it is a certainty that Sandra would still be alive if she had not been pulled over. Additionally, most lynchings of African-Americans have been by hanging, and Waller County has a documented history of racial discrimination.

Video of DOJ accepting petitions set to Sandra's favorite song as performed at this event

On the 24th of August, some DC area activists staged a public outreach event on 16th st about a block from the Mexican Consulate in solidarity with striking teachers in Oaxaca. Gabino Cue, governor of Oaxaca, has created a new governing body to take control of the schools anbd break the back of CNTE, one of the most militant unions in the world. This is like the Fenty/Rhee school system takeover-except that there are fears that the massive protests it has inspired by again be attacked by the Mexican army. The military has repeatedly been deployed against striking teachers in Oaxaca in the past. Back in 2006, Indymedia photographer Brad Will was shot and killed by "security" forces during a protest supporting striking teachers in Oaxaca.