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Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Sep 13, 2020 • 20 tweets • 8 min read • Read on X

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"Free the people! Fight the power! Fuck the police! Revolution!"

On Saturday night, the "They/Them Collective" held another march throughout DC, beginning in Dupont Circle.

"Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!"

"One! Two! Three! Four! Slavery, genocide and war! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! America was never great!" chanted the activists as they marched through DC.

@JasonRCharter

Ahead of the march, antifa activist @JasonRCharter tried to go "pig fishing" by offering police officers a donut on a fishing rod.

Awe, that's one of those crumb cake ones," one officer replied sarcastically. "That is delicious."

"I'm on a diet so..." rejected another.

https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1305186186575728642

Correction to earlier tweet: While "Revolution!" is used in some chants such as "You can't stop the revolution!" in the particular tweet I misheard "abolition" as "revolution."

Apologies for the misquote.

https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1305186186575728642

The FTP March went to 17th street near Dupont, the site of several gay bars.

"You're going to listen to the stories of the murders of Black people within the DMV killed by the pigs, paid for by your tax dollars," they told patrons, who they blocked from filming with umberellas.

One patron from a gay bar called JR's insisted on filming.

The FTP activists were insistent that bystanders witnessing the event did not film and confronted/blocked him from pointing his phone at the event.

"If you believe that Black lives matter... I ask you, I challenge you, to raise your fist in solidarity!"

Most patrons at the restaurants did so.

"When you're asked to raise your fist up in the air, you are showing solidarity of which side of the history you stand on," an organizer said.

"When you don't raise your hand in solidarity, what you're saying is that you are comfortable to be white supremacist."

One on looker claimed to be "on your side" to the protesters but called it "bullshit" that they were blocking him from filming.

The FTP march continued, chanting "ACAB! Fuck the police!" and later "It's a revolution! It's a revolution!"

"Hands up, fight back!"

Some people filmed from the patio of Larry's Lounge, another gay bar.

"Raise your fist up the air, give us a clap... but please don't record the march. We don't want to snitch on freedom fighters."

A waiter asked patrons to stop filming as activists used umbrellas to block.

https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1305198389592764416

"Thank you for your own cooperation" said the organizer after most patrons stopped filming.

A line of cops on bikes followed and didn't respond as fireworks went off (second half of this clip.)

https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1305198389592764416

@TownTavernDC

The group was well-received in Adam's Morgan, where some bars offered free water and @TownTavernDC offered bathroom use to the protesters.

A line of cops on bikes followed closely behind the activists along with cruisers behind.

Sgt. Travis Maguire argued with protesters, who demanded the cops stay 30 feet behind them.

Sgt. Maguire said that from the back of the core march, he'd bet $100 he was already 30 ft back.

"You do realize that they give us a book with everyone's picture and name," Sgt. Travis Maguire told the protesters.

The protesters tried to get him to say their names outloud to prove it.

"Do you think it's sad that #DeonKay is dead?" an activist asked.

"I have no idea who he is," said Sgt. Maguire.

"That's why I enjoy your marches so much, because I learn so much," added Maguire. "Did you guys preach about him tonight, because if so, I missed that part."

"Just because you put a little mask on does not change you," said Sgt. Maguire. "I could go back to the book and find out everything about you."

The march continued.

I asked Sgt. Maguire about the book, which he says is called a "beat book."

I plan to try to FOIA it.

If you were hoping to see that entire conversation in HD, you're in luck!

Here's uncut video of that, perfect for citing if anyone else wants to try to FOIA the confirmed-to-exist "beat book" described by the cops:

The protesters finished near the White House by chanting the Assata Shakur quote:

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom.
It is our duty to win.
We must love each other and support each other.
We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

Here’s my full summary video of last night’s #FTP march in DC. As always, all footage available to license.

Protesters hold "FTP" rally throughout DC 9/13/2020

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More from @FordFischer

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Dec 31

BIG THREAD: Today, I attended the preliminary/detention hearing for Brad Spafford, charged with possessing a short barrel rifle.

Federal prosecutors say more charges are coming and that his arrest yielded the "largest seizure of finished explosive devices in FBI history."

https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1869751908652720457

2) I first reported the case December 19 following Spafford's arrest by the feds, who used a Confidential Human Source (CHS) for two years to get the warrant to arrest Spafford for the alleged Short Barrel Rifle.

https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1869751908652720457

3) Rachelann Cardwell, a Suffolk Detective assigned as an officer on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, took the stand today.

She testified that the investigation into Spafford began in January 2023 when the CHS reported Spafford disfiguring his hand with a homemade explosive.

(Photo: Suffolk PD)

Read 22 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Dec 19

THREAD: On Tuesday, Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) officers with the Norfolk FBI and assistance from the ATF arrested Virginia man Brad Spafford for possessing an unregistered short barrel rifle (SBR).

The arrest was the result of a multi-year Confidential Human Source (CHS).

2) A Confidential Human Source (CHS, commonly known as "informant" or colloquially as "snitch") reported in January 2023 that Spafford lost fingers on Independence Day 2021 "while working with a homemade explosive device."

He says Spafford and friends were making ammunition for "something that Spafford would not be able to do alone."

The informant reportedly saw Spafford's hands "before and after the event" which is confusingly worded; if he saw them in person, then the informant has been around the defendant for more than three years.

If he saw them pre- disfigurement some other way, like a photo, then he still has been around him for at least nearly two years.

3) In May 2023, the informant and Spafford went to a gun range together, each with "their own weapons."

The informant brought his own Short Barrel Rifle, but it was registered.

The now-defendant allegedly brought what the informant believed was also an SBR.

Read 7 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Oct 30

Just now: Attendees of Vice President Kamala Harris’s rally at the Ellipse resort to climbing over the “scale proof” fences surrounding the event after exit gates were closed, apparently due to pro-Palestine protesters on the other side.

2) "Push it down!"

During some of the confusion as police wouldn't allow people to leave the Harris Ellipse speech, some pushed over a small plastic fence that divided them from other people also trying to exit.

It didn't make a difference.

3) "You say it's open but where's it open?" crowds frustrated attempted to confront police as they had difficulty leaving the Harris rally.

"No! No! No!" a cop said as a man jumped, leaving a woman with him behind, who would have had to find a not-closed gate.

Meanwhile, police attempted to confine the pro-Palestine protests outside.

Read 7 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Sep 11

VIDEO THREAD: Tonight, police and protesters clashed outside the presidential debate in Philly.

I want to detail how that happened.

All was at peace until one person lit a flare, waving it around for the cameras.

Police pushed in in force, arresting him and angering the crowd.

2) A handful of frustrated protesters linked arms and pushed into a line of bike cops, mimicking them by shouting "move!"

"CPD, KKK, IOF you're all the same!" they chanted as a shoving match ensued.

Additional police arrived in riot gear and the scuffle spread and intensified.

3) With police assembling in riot gear including shields now, the remaining pro-Palestine protesters called to "disperse!"

Officers ended up facing off with a mostly empty street consisting of a handful of stragglers as well as remaining news cameras.

Read 12 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Sep 8

VIDEO THREAD: "Queers love Palestine! HRC loves the war machine!"

Protesters rallied against the Human Rights Campaign dinner tonight featuring Tim Walz in DC to condemn their relationship with weapons manufacturers, which they say enable genocide.

"We're not interupting!" they chanted. "Pink washing is disgusting!"

2) Protesters put red paint on their hands to symbolize what they say is the Human Rights Campaign's support for the killing of Palestinians.

"HRC is using our name to pinkwash an administration committing genocide, burning children under rubble but those children are not human enough for the Human Rights campaign, shame!"

3) "We are here, we are queer! Zionists not welcome here!"

Protesters banged on the windows overlooking the escalator and lobby that HRC guests went through to get to the gala with Tim Walz.

Police stepped in, forcing them away from the glass.

Read 6 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Jul 24

This is my 4K footage of how the violence outside the United States Capitol began today.

You can see the first mace deployed (over the heads of officers, toward the activists) which angers the pro-Palestine crowd, who begins throwing water bottles as officers continue using mace.

A little over a minute into the clip is a flash grenade, one of only a couple I saw used today.

My understanding is this occurred after Netanyahu arrived but before he spoke to Congress.

2) As police engaged the crowd, a man scolded police and was maced as well.

The crowd continued marching, taking a wider route around the Capitol and avoiding most confrontations during the march itself.

3) "Smack Netanyahu in the head with that billy club!"

Activists continued a wide march around the United States Capitol from the West side to the East side clockwise.

Some pro-Israel, anti-Netanyahu activists stood along the path and were mostly ignored. Police blocked off streets heading close to the Capitol complex.