Gender/Sexuality/Identity

2019 in Progressive Activism

Submitted by Luke on Fri, 12/20/2019 - 01:47

Video compilation of protests and direct actions mostly but not entirely in the DC area as the resistance against the regime of Donald Trump enters its third year. (16 min 58 sec)

Anti-War/Peace
Culture/Entertainment
Elections/Legislation/Government
Environment/Food/Health
Foreign Policy/Imperialism
Gender/Sexuality/Identity
Housing/urban Issues/Gentrification
Labor/Economics/Business
Media
Police/Legal/Prisons
Race/Racism
Strategy/Theory/Movement Issues

Whistleblower contingent runs in High Heel race, invokes "Lock Him Up"

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/30/2019 - 23:02

DC's annual High Heel Race took place on October 29, the last Tuesday before Halloween. One contingent was dressed in referee's uniforms, blew whistles, and chanted "Lock Him Up!" This was just two days after Donald Trump was jeered with the same chant at the World Series and nearly booed out of the stadium.

Video-the Whistleblower Bloc at DC's High Heel Race 1 min 27 sec

Elections/Legislation/Government
Gender/Sexuality/Identity

The Whistleblower Bloc in the High Heel Race

Over 160 arrests as Supreme Court hears case to decide legality of firing GLBTQ employees

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 10/08/2019 - 21:44

On the 8th of October, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in two GLBTQ discrimination/ Title VII cases. One concerns whether firing transgender employees violates the Civil Rights Act's Title VII sex discrimination provisions. The other concerns whether firing men for dating men but not firing women for dating women constitutes sex discrimination under the same law. A huge crowd of protesters gathered outside. Police efforts to pre-empt a civil disobedience failed when that portion of the protesters arrived late due to a highway traffic jam.

Video-Reinforements from NYC blockade 1st st 1 min 30 sec

Gender/Sexuality/Identity

This blockade of 1st st led to around 160 arrests

Women's March marches on Mitch McConnell's house after SCOTUS protest for impeachment of Kavanaugh

Submitted by Luke on Sun, 10/06/2019 - 21:59

The 6th of October marked the first anniversary of rapist Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court. With an abortion case headed to the court, Women's March and sexual assault survivors showed up for a "Reclaim the Court" protest at the Supreme Court. After the speakers protesters blockaded the street in front of the Supreme Court. When cops declined to arrest them, they marched on the home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Video: 1st st Blockaded, the march on Mitch McConnell's house, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's speech at the Supreme Court 6 min 21 sec

Gender/Sexuality/Identity

Sexual assault survivors and Women's March are demanding the impeachment of both Trump and Kavanaugh

National Transgender Visibility March massively outnumbers pro-Trump counterprotesters

Submitted by Luke on Sat, 09/28/2019 - 20:19

On the 28th of September the National Transgender Visibility March took to the streets, taking up several blocks at a time on Penn Ave. A smattering of pro-Trump counterprotesters from the tiny and probably failed "Mother of All Rallies" were hugely outnumbered by what appeared to be the largest transgender march in DC so far.

Video: the march passing Trump Hotel, the counterprotesters, and the finish of the march 2 min 3 sec

Gender/Sexuality/Identity

US Park Police entrap, arrest Gay men in Malcolm X Park

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 08/16/2019 - 01:03

For decades Malcolm X Park has been a popular cruising area for Gay men, mostly men of color. Since August 2018, US Park Police have been entrapping and arresting Gay men there, using 1950's style tactics including directly propositioning their targets. This and police raids on Gay bars were the factors that led to the Stonewall Riot, a three day uprising in which NYC's police were soundly defeated. It has the potential to lead at any time to violent confrontations beyond what police expect, as they found to their sorrow on June 28, 1969. The GLBTQ community has refused to tolerate this kind of assault since Stonewall.

Gender/Sexuality/Identity
Police/Legal/Prisons

No Justice No Pride rallies for sex work decriminalization

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/29/2019 - 00:38

The 28th of June was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in NYC, in which a police vice squad assault on a gay bar was repelled by force. On June 28, 2019 No Justice No Pride acted in the spirit of this uprising to demand the DC Council pass a bill to decriminalize sex work. One group went in en masse to deliver petitions while others waited outside. One sex worker testified at the rally that the police were comparable to the worst of bad johns.

Video-Em on the attack on the NJNP house, cops as bad as any bad john, the hypocrisy of the opponents of decrim 2 min 28 sec

Gender/Sexuality/Identity

DC Bike Party holds Pride Ride

Submitted by Luke on Fri, 06/14/2019 - 01:00

On the 12th of June, the DC Bike Party staged their annual Pride Ride, just days after Capitol Pride. Light rain at the start had exactly no effect on the ride, heavier rain did not arrive until the halfway point at Malcolm X Park. This was a very large event with hundreds of riders stretching for many blocks.

HD Video-the start of the Pride Ride 1 min

Culture/Entertainment
Gender/Sexuality/Identity

Pride festival features MPD in repudiation of No Justice No Pride's message

Submitted by Luke on Sun, 06/09/2019 - 21:33

Two years ago, No Justice No Pride blocked MPD, Lockheed-Martin, and Wells Fargo's contingents in the Capitol Pride parade. While negotiations and promises resulted and the lead contingents of the parade were real community groups this year, much of the core message has been ignored. MPD's "special Liason branch" was given a display position right at the entrance to the 2019 Capitol Pride festival. This is a direct repudiation of NJNP's "no cops at Pride" posture.

Gender/Sexuality/Identity
Housing/urban Issues/Gentrification

MPD "special Liason Branch" booth at entrance to the Pride Festival. Only the center position at the entrance is more valuble

False report of "active shooter" stemming from a fight causes stampede at Capitol Pride

Submitted by Luke on Sun, 06/09/2019 - 00:51

On the 8th of June, the Capitol Pride parade marched before a huge crowd of hundreds of thousands. Late in the parade at about 7:30PM a sudden panic sent the crowd into a full stampede to escape the area near Dupont Circle. The author of this story was on a bike and took cover behind a medic's empty wheeled gurney to avoid being trampled or tripping others who would then in turn be trampled.

Video of the parade and stampede from three different camera angles 2 min 25 sec

Gender/Sexuality/Identity

People fleeing Dupont Circle after the initial stampede had travelled about a block. No way to get a camera up any closer

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