Hundreds gathered now for a day of #GeorgeFloydProtests here at Black Lives Matter Plaza, formerly 16th Street.
The tone is upbeat. Food, music, limited police presence.
It’s hard to imagine this was a battlefield less than a week ago.
The tone is upbeat. Food, music, limited police presence.
It’s hard to imagine this was a battlefield less than a week ago.
The AFL-CIO, whose first floor was burned down by protesters 6 days ago, now has calls for “criminal justice reform now” and a single armed guard from “Security Assistance Management Inc” at the front door.
Tables offering free snacks, water, and medical help line the streets.
For all Trump’s talk of anarchy, I want to point out: for actual self-avowed anarchist socialists, this is more what Anarcho-socialism looks like than bricks and Molotov cocktails.
For all Trump’s talk of anarchy, I want to point out: for actual self-avowed anarchist socialists, this is more what Anarcho-socialism looks like than bricks and Molotov cocktails.
Secret Service with long duffle bags and badges marked “United States Secret Service Special Operations Counter Sniper Team” heading into the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute building a block north of White House.
Posted that video as they went into the front door, but I can confirm they went inside.
Assuming the hardware in long duffle bags carried by the “counter sniper team” is what we think it is, Secret Service has four riflemen on rooftop above action.
Assuming the hardware in long duffle bags carried by the “counter sniper team” is what we think it is, Secret Service has four riflemen on rooftop above action.
National Guard photographs themselves protecting the Hilton Hotel.
The Black Israelites are out as well on I Street.
Bus load of soldiers from the Tennessee Army National Guard get out at intersection of E and Penn, just east of the White House.
Hundreds gathered at 3rd and Penn near the Capitol. They’re planning to rally at 2pm. I’ll plan to go live again once that starts.
It’s about 90 degrees out, plenty of people distructubing water for the crowd.
Again, for now, dehydration is biggest risk out here.
It’s about 90 degrees out, plenty of people distructubing water for the crowd.
Again, for now, dehydration is biggest risk out here.
Phone overheated so I’m going to take a break, but protesters in the hundreds marched from Capitol to White House.
TWITTER IS MARKING MY TWEET SHOWING PROTESTERS PEACEFULLY RAISE THEIR FISTS IN DC AS “SENSITIVE MATERIAL.”
@jack @Twitter @TwitterComms please explain why peaceful protest should be filtered.
(While you’re at it, make me @verified.)
@jack @Twitter @TwitterComms please explain why peaceful protest should be filtered.
(While you’re at it, make me @verified.)
“Racism is a public health crisis!”
About a hundred doctors and nurses join the #BlackLivesMatter protest here in DC.
About a hundred doctors and nurses join the #BlackLivesMatter protest here in DC.
By the way, Starbucks on 14th is still boarded up but you can order stuff to go and the boards now have a message on them.
Freedom Plaza currently has a free sign making station. Thousands are gathered nearby on Penn Ave. I’m about to livestream again, assuming cell service allows it.
The heat is making livestreaming very difficult; phone cut off from overheating as I was filming @RefuseFascism speak near the White House.
History will remember today as joining the ranks of the @womensmarch movement as filling the streets for an issue that well preceded the Trump era, but brought thousands to defy him.
Giant #BlackLivesMatter banner unfurled here at Black Lives Matter Plaza.
New Black Panther Party is here and plans to march to frontline White House fence momentarily.
I will try to livestream again, but the sun keeps baking my iPhone, forcing it to shut off.
I will try to livestream again, but the sun keeps baking my iPhone, forcing it to shut off.
Phone overheated so can’t livestream, but New Black Panther Party currently leading chants and speaking at the White House fence, calling Trump a dictator whose “days are numbered.”
Speaker calls out @MayorBowser for painting “Black Lives Matter” on the street while adding funding for police in the upcoming DC budget.
It’s not just Trump - they say - that’s the problem: The White House itself represents oppression and imperialism.
A tweet of mine earlier in this thread about a Secret Service sniper team going into a building overlooking the protest went viral.
As an update on that, two of the agents are visible on the rooftop from Black Lives Matter Plaza.
As an update on that, two of the agents are visible on the rooftop from Black Lives Matter Plaza.
Just some examples of a theme I’ve been trying to capture all day: the area has become a real community, with people giving eachother supplies mostly for free.
This guy dressed up as the Bible that Trump held during his photo op on Monday night.
Just went into friend’s hotel to take a break.
Looks like the National Guard had the same idea.
Looks like the National Guard had the same idea.
I’m back at what is now called Black Lives Matter Plaza where the sun sets on a protest that has mostly remained upbeat, with dancing and music.
I’ll be livestreaming again shortly.
I’ll be livestreaming again shortly.
My tweet featuring protesters peacefully raising their fists in the air is still being deemed "sensitive" by @Twitter.
Is it a disaster that some people have to change their settings to see it? No. But Twitter is actively suppressing images of peaceful protest.
Is it a disaster that some people have to change their settings to see it? No. But Twitter is actively suppressing images of peaceful protest.
Exhausted after a 12-hour day of running around and filming the action at yesterday's #DCProtests #GeorgeFloydProtests.
Here is my full report for @Zenger:
zenger.news/2020/06/07/act…
Here is my full report for @Zenger:
zenger.news/2020/06/07/act…
