Race/Racism

On the 23ed of July, Black Lives Matter activists arrived outside Mayor Bowser's house for yet another residential protest demanding she defund MPD. The protest was largely an educational session on how cops don't make Black people any safer. As a real-world example of this, cops did nothing about it when an impatient driver tried to forcibly push through protesters as the rally began.

Video of the car incident 1 min 52 sec

It looks like the question of why police harassed homeless people camping in Franklin Square just before the George Floyd Uprising started has been answered. A "partnership between the National Park Service and ... Mayor Muriel Bowser" has fenced off the park for a major renovation project. No doubt this is to include permanent expulsion of the homeless to make way for upscale office workers and power lunches.

On the 18th of July, MPD attempted to intimidate protesters into leaving BLM Plaza-just before the "Fuck the Police" march arrived and by their presence ended the police offensive. The John Lewis Vigil and midnight yoga then took place without further harassment. En route, the march chanted "Fire, fire, gentrifier! in Adams-Morgan and other gentrified areas.

Video-marchers chant "fire, fire, gentrifier!" in Adams-Morgan 33 sec

Friday, the 17th of July was supposed to be a court-ordered deadline for ICE to release detained children so they don't get COVID-19. Instead, ICE went and got another ten-day extension, twice the 5 day average covid incubation period. In response, protesters descended on ICE with 250K signed petitions demanding these children and their families be released. Guards refused to accept the boxed petitions, claiming nobody was there.

Video-scene at the door as ICE refuses the petitions 2 min 23 sec