Tonight at #BlackLivesMatter Plaza in DC, protesters mocked police putting on riot gear by saying "let's hydrate the pigs" and throwing water bottles at them.
Police responded with tear gas.
The first tear gas canister was right in the center of the crowd, which caused people closer to the cops to go toward the cops to avoid it.
Those lucky people, such as yours truly, had to run back through the tear gas to get away.
At least two different types of gas were used. Some of it was white, but for a moment, the entire area north of the White House was filled with yellow gas.
Protesters tried to use umbrellas to protect themselves from it, which was largely ineffective.
As most of the protesters retreated, one used a lacrosse stick to intercept a tear gas canister and throw it back toward the police.
As protesters retreated, police continued firing non-lethals into the crowd, about a half a block forward.
This was still on #BlackLivesMatter Plaza. The police fired munitions from the "R" in "Matte*r*" to the protesters who were on the "T" as in "Mat*t*er."
Police physically pushed forward using bikes. This moment was a bit of a mess and I was mostly focused on not getting arrested myself, but I believe some of the estimated 7-10 arrests occurred around this moment.
An individual was being arrested and two people tried to come to his aid and were maced.
Police continued firing into the crowd to push them northbound up 16th street, and ultimately held their ground at 16th and I.
Several protesters were injured, and police followed from a distance as they attempted first aid while continuing to retreat all the way to Dupont Circle, where they ultimately dispersed.
Here's my full HD video of the violence that broke out in front of the White House tonight during #dcprotests.
More video from tonight on the way.
I don't want to just focus on the later violence. Let's look at the march from the beginning.
Protesters with the "Abolish the police" march began at the White House, and marched through DC constantly shooting off fireworks.
The activists - led by a shield formation - spoke to outdoor diners at a relatively fancy restaurant called "Le Diplomat."
"Fire, fire, gentrifier!" they chanted at the staff and people eating, before talking about police violence.
"If we don't get no justice, you don't get no sleep!"
At about 11pm, the protesters marched through a few residential neighborhoods, chanting "fire fire, gentrifier!" and "Black people used to live here!"
They used fireworks on lawns and strobe lights to wake people up.
Here's my full video of the "Abolish the police" march that occurred in DC before the tear gas etc. incident at the White House.
Raw copies of all footage available to license. Excited that in fact, ABC7 licensed footage from earlier in this thread.
As a reminder, you can see the full context for every shot in this thread in the livestream:
Documentary video thread: The New York Young Republican Club led a vigil for Charlie Kirk Friday night in New York City.
Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia led mourners in prayer: "May the God of all consolation embrace his wife and children with tender mercy and grant them strength in this hour of sorrow."
"That bullet did not kill Charlie Kirk. It made him immortal forever, a martyr in our movement!" said NYYRC President Stefano L. Forte. "We are all Charlie Kirk Now!"
2) "In Charlie Kirk's memory, let's make sure we keep free speech alive!" said Republican Mayoral candidate Curtis Silva. "Let it not be in vain!"
3) "He honestly was one of the reasons that I actually woke up and learned how to think for myself," one mourner says of Charlie Kirk.
Others praised Kirk primarily for his dialogues with college students.
Just now: Activists demanding Trump’s impeachment and release of Epstein files enter Marjorie Taylor Greene’s office along with journalist Don Lemon.
They are told to leave, door slammed behind them, and a Capitol officer arrived to tell them to lower the volume, but no arrests.
2) Activists entered office of Rep. Joaquin Castro to demand he files articles of impeachment on President Trump. @JessicaDenson07 tells him not to wait until midterms.
Journalist Don Lemon complimented office staff for being polite and offering water, unlike Greene's office.
3) Anti-Trump activists slide flyers showing President Trump with Jeffrey Epstein under the door of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's office.
4K VIDEO THREAD: Federal agents, many wearing masks, oversaw a vehicle checkpoint in the Ivy City neighborhood of Washington DC, part of President Trump's federal takeover of law enforcement functions in the capital city.
Drivers were directed to either carry on or move into one of two lanes where they'd be detained. Several were issues citations for infractions like window tint, while at least four were handcuffed, of which at least three were taken away by police.
Washington DC's MPD officers performed most of the frontline enforcement, while the feds oversaw the operation, assisted, and communicated by phone.
2) "Unconstitutional, go fuck yourselves," a driver yelled after being allowed through the checkpoint without being pulled over.
"Get him, he's on his phone!" fruitlessly yelled an MPD officer in response.
"You lost him!" I noted to the cop, who replied "that was a good one."
3) An unmarked vehicle was pulled into the line for those detained for further investigation.
When it turned out there was a uniformed police officer in the car, he was promptly let through.
Some other drivers were removed from their cars and put in handcuffs. The reasons for most arrests were not immediately clear to onlookers.
3) The posts Stinson allegedly wrote that the FBI say constituted criminal threats against President Trump go all the way back to 2020, and continue on X (then Twitter) until 2022.
VIDEO THREAD: Anti-ICE protesters gathered again outside the loading bay of a federal building in downtown LA on Thursday evening, where police declared an unlawful assembly.
Officers pushed into the crowd, firing a less lethal round and arresting at least one person.
2) A man (not clear to me which agency) pointed a scoped rifle directly into the crowd of protesters and press as police threatened arrest.
The activists celebrated a small victory as a judge temporarily enjoined the National Guard from being deployed at Trump's directive without California's executive approval, a decision which has since been overturned.
Some activists, but one in particular, vehemently instructed the crowd to obey the order to leave, which ultimately fragmented the crowd.
3) A handful of protesters ended up inside of a kettle formation, which closed in on and arrested them.
Two vehicles adorned with pro-immigrant and pro-Palestine symbols were also towed from inside the kettle.