Right now: Activists dressed as apes have erected a monolith in front of the DEA and are dancing around it a la “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
I will be providing updates on this act of… wait for it… wait for it… guerrilla activism throughout the day.
Some very confused federal security officers are keeping watch.
The apes have adorned the DEA entrance sign with bananas.
Perhaps a suggestion that the drug war is “bananas” but who knows?
🤷♂️ 🎥
The First Amendment is really something, huh?
The activists point out to me that the precise full moon comes at 10:57am, something these ape-dressed monolith fans are apparently interested in.
My cell phone connection here isn’t great, but I’ll run a livestream around then if I can…
A STATEMENT FROM THE APES
Drug policy reform activist @aeidinger of @DCMJ2014 asked one of the private security guards if he could get someone from the DEA outside to touch the monolith.
Guard was pulled away by a supervisor.
The monolith represents evolution in 2001, the film they’re imitating.
The monolith continues to sit in front of the DEA HQ building even as the gorillas who put it there depart, although I’m told they will return.
In a way, it almost looks like the building.
I can neither confirm nor deny that it’s cannabis being smoked by the apes outside the DEA right now.
“APES, TOGETHER, STRONG!”
After a morning of performance, the ‘apes’ have taken their 2000+ pound monolith from the DEA HQ safely.
Who knows what wonders await the monolith next?
The apes explain their unusual demonstration style to me, and why they believe the DEA itself is the one that needs to "evolve."
THREAD: The FBI, relying on the work of a paid Confidential Human Source "CHS" who surveilles from his own vendor booth at gun shows, and an additional undercover agent, have arrested Mark Adams Prieto, who they charge with trafficking firearms and say planned a mass shooting.
2) The feds say Prieto came to their attention in October 2023, when a paid CHS who had talked to Prieto 15 times in the past, "began making suspicious and alarming comments, including advocating for a mass shooting, and specifically targeting “blacks, Jews, or Muslims.”
3) At a January 20-21, 2024 gun show, the feds say Prieto was introduced to an undercover agent at the CHS's vendor booth.
By the second day, Prieto was allegedly sharing details about a planned mass shooting attack against a rap concert to kill Black people.
BIG VIDEO THREAD: Former President Trump received mostly boos from the Libertarians (a small VIP section plus 4 front rows) and cheers of support tonight from his supporters (who got most of the other seats) as he spoke in front of the Libertarian National Convention, who on Sunday will be nominating their own candidate for president.
Trump spoke in front of the "Become Ungovernable" logo featuring the anarchist circle-A.
The speech was unprecedented where for a major party candidate speaking at a rival political party's nominating convention.
2) As the Libertarians (closest few rows to the president) largely booed Trump and the MAGA (about 3/4 of the room, closest to the press riser) cheered him, some Libertarians stood with their backs to the former president during the speech.
3) Some context for this event can be found in the thread below.
Trump supporters filled much of the room about an hour and a half before the Libertarian delegates finished their work in another ballroom.
VIDEO THREAD: Barely a day after their encampment was raided, pro-Palestine activists set up another encampment in front of a George Washington University administrators' building.
In this uncut shot, you'll see the activists set up several new tents by surprise in minutes.
2) Pro-Palestine protesters at George Washington University linked arms after forming their new encampment.
Police formed a line facing them on one side (leaving the other side open) and pushed media and others with a vantage point significantly back.
3) One MPD officer took a quick selfie from the police line.
VIDEO THREAD: Police cleared the pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University early this morning in a pre-dawn raid, arresting dozens and apparently deploying pepper spray.
"F--- the pigs!" yelled activists as police swarmed a wide perimeter around the area.
2) Police and DC Department of Public Works could be seen dumping tents and other camping equipment where the encampment had been at GW.
This comes just hours before Mayor Bowser is set to testify before Congress.
3) As the sun rose near George Washington University, the activist who were not arrested regrouped.
Organizers recommended those who the police had pepper-sprayed go home, and others go to jail support for their detained comrades.
THREAD: I was one of only two media I'm aware of in the courtroom today for a lengthy hearing where the federal government fought to hold Russell "Duke" Vane IV pre-trial.
This thread will be based on my notes and court documents.
BREAKING THREAD: On April 11, Russell Vane IV - the subject of my reporting who allegedly attempted to provoke a Virginia militia group into producing explosives - was arrested.
He is charged with "Attempted production of a biological agent or toxin."
3) The feds cite my reporting, where I show unclassified government documents that the Virginia Kekoas militia members were allegedly handed by Duke, and he later appears to acknowledge giving them.