Day of marches ends in major police violence on Black Lives Matter Plaza

Video-police smash the snack van's windows 1 min 10 sec

August 29th was a day of marches and protest that ended in shocking police violence. Here in DC, almost as soon as cops were no longer kept busy by the Fuck the Police march targetting upscale diners elsewhere, a blizzard of tear gas and rubber bullets was unleashed against protesters at Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Also it is being reported that a fascist was shot and killed in Portland as a convoy of pro-Trump fascist protesters was firing paintballs and similar items at counterprotesters. Some reports indicate that this might have been "friendly fire" but the situation is still unclear on the ground in Portland. Initial reports were that a fascist shot a Black Lives Matter protesters, but only ONE person was shot and he was wearing a Patriot Prayer cap.

Here in DC, most protesters managed to escape the trap at Black Lives Matter plaza, cops later "appeared to be trying to box in" a group of protesters at 17th and L st NW. This later was reported to have morphed into a police pursuit of protesters on 17th st after "allowing" protesters to leave from one side of what was essentially a "catch and release" kettle.

What began at Black Lives Matter Plaza extended into lines of riot cops sweeping as far north as K st, rather like on May 30 this year but this being just the police assaulting peaceful protesters. Medics have been shot down with tear gas and rubber bullets, and even the credentialed corporate press has been maced up close. The snack van from Portland was attacked by police, who smashed out the windows and arrested the driver.

Police tonight have behaved like gangsters: when they faced the powerful and well-equipped Fuck the Police march in front of luxury apartments and expensive restaurants they glowered and threatened but no serious aggression occurred. Eventually though, all the separate marches either ended or converged on Black Lives Matter Plaza, where no uses of force by protesters were reported. Facing this peaceful but larger crowd Black Lives Matter Plaza the cops assaulted food service and medics, while opening fire on the whole crowd with gas and rubber bullets. This is the act of cowardly thugs with no honor and even less courage. Trump of course is exactly this kind of thug, so maybe he or his thugs decided this was just too close to HIS house.