The 18th of January saw another armed protest in a state capitol, this time in Richmond. The annual 2nd Amendment lobby day organizers were upstaged by militia and Boogaloo Bois open carrying in defiance of Richmond's recent legislation banning firearms at protests. Two days to go to Inauguration.
On the 17th of January, the expected armed "Million Militia March" on DC was a no-show. Some organizers had reportedly cancelled, and media folks at their expected assembly areas saw nothing. So far, only in Michigan have armed far-right protesters appeared. One day down,three to go.
Video: fences, National Guard troops-and BLM Plaza still open Jan 16 1 min 38 sec
On the 15th of January, police agencies began fencing off large parts of downtown DC as they usually do for an Inauguration. In addition, large numbers of armed National Guard troops began showing up in the city. They are intended to protect Biden's Inauguration from armed Trump supporters and outright neo-Nazis, assuming they don't change sides themselves.
Neither the departing White House resident nor the incoming one is perfect... That said, it is not a good ideato have an outside inauguration... sharpshooters could be a mile away... in any one of 360 degreesaround the inauguration site... no security could cover all the pointsnonviolence for all beings
Video: ShutDownDC's footage of so many cops trailing the banner holders 12 sec
On the 13th of January, the House voted to impeach Donald Trump for a 2nd time. Outside protesters held giant banners demanding that members of Congress who supported the Jan 6 coup attempt be expelled in addition to Trump. Large numbers of cops trailed them, and at at least one point made threats of arrest.
On the 7th of January, small packs of fascists and Magats were still visible in DC, many of them playing tourist and even some still just across 1st St from the US Capitol. In at least one incident defenders of BLM Plaza were again put to the test.
Video-cops remove Trump supporter from BLM Plaza after attack on sign holder 1 min 5 sec
Late night on the 5th of January, the Proud Boys marched in force on Black Lives Matter Plaza. They got nearly to the plaza itself before being stopped by an MPD police line. They attempted to charge through by force and failed. One may have gotten onto the plaza before being arrested. So much for "Back the Blue!"
Video: Proud Boys try to storm BLM Plaza right through MPD's police line Brenden Gutenschwager, 20 sec
Video-speaker invokes Normandy while fascists harass BLM Plaza and buildings are boarded up 59 sec
On January 5, Trump supporters rallied on Freedom Plaza. At one point, a speaker told people to hug each other, thinking it was sarcastic to call it a "superspreader event." Another speaker made an incredibly offensive comparison to Normany (D-Day) while fascists and Proud Boys harassed the defenders of Black Lives Matter Plaza. Meanwhile two more fascists were arrested for carrying guns.
On Dec 30, Sen. Josh Hawley was the first GOP Senator to announce he would object to certifying Donald Trump's loss to Biden in the 2020 election. Five days later on Jan 4, activists from Shut Down DC showed up in front of his Northern Virginia house for a protest vigil.
Update 1-5:Tarrio was released with charges-and a stayaway order from ALL OF DC except for court hearings
On the 4th of January, Proud Boys commander Enrique Tarrio arrived in DC for what he hoped would be three nights of terror against people of color. Instead he was arrested on arrival, for burning the Black Lives Matter banner stolen from a church on Dec 12, 2020. In addition, police found two high capacity gun magazines on him, banned under DC's gun laws. These brought two addtional charges, both felonies.
Video-interview w participant 3 min 28 sec
On the 4th of January, protesters showed up outside the Alexandria Holiday Inn, demanding fascists and Proud Boys be refused rooms for the upcoming coup attempt. A "credible threat" of violence caused organizers to call the event off with 1/2 hours notice, but people showed up anyway and proceeded with the protest though on a smaller scale.
Within 24 hours of a Washington Post story about the Proud Boys hanging out at Harry's Bar and staying at Hotel Harrington, both establishments have stated they will close their doors for Jan 4-6. They have said publicly this is to protect their employees.
As 2020 draws to an end, many buildings downtown remain boarded up. For all the city government's begging building owners to remove the boards, the recent bouts of MAGA/Proud Boys violence and fears of Inauguration street battles are keeping the boards up, and more buildings have boarded up since the brutal Dec 12 MAGA/Proud Boys mess.
On the morning of Christmas Day, Dec 25, MetroDSA delivered a sack of coal (may have been charcoal) to Congress in "honor" of their betrayal of working-class people during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Metro DSA released this statement:
Santa & his Dem Socialist elves demand $2K in stimulus relief per month until the pandemic is over! If our government can add BILLIONS in wealth to the most wealthy CEOs in this country this is the LEAST they can do for working ppl who have been suffering in isolation since March
Video: 2020 in review by Iron Snowflake 21 min 16 sec, link is fixed
Content warning! This is the most violent year I have ever seen in DC and the US. Video include two murders by police, the resulting long hot summer of fighting, fireworks used as artillery, and brutal fighting against the Proud Boys on Nov 14 and Dec 12.
1: Jan-March: The year begins normally:
As if the violence of the last two "Million MAGAt Marches" was not enough, Donald Trump is now telling his supporters to descend on DC as Congress votes to certify Biden's election on Jan 6. He is telling the Proud Boys etc to "get wild" and claiming "this is our Inauguration." In any other country this would be considered a call to a coup attempt, perhaps like Mussolini's "March on Rome."
On Dec 8, an "area cleanup" of the L st underpass homeless camp was limited by community pressure to trash removal. On Dec 21, the Mayor's troops returned, only to again face a potential hornet's nest as camera-wielding activists waited ready. Again the Mayor had to let the homeless stay, again only trash was removed. This time, tents etc were moved by residents and activists to clear a 9 foot walkway.
Video-Karon Hylton's mother challenging MPD at 4D's front door and being arrested 1 min 20 sec
On Dec 19, Karon Hylton's mother was arrested after confronting MPD cops at their 4D stationhouse for killing her son. This triggered an hours-long siege of the station by protesters ending in the release of Karon's mother. Threats to mace protesters and bike cops riding around to threaten a kettle failed to disperse protesters. In the end, MPD threw in the towel.
“One of the had a gun on them & came charging toward me. This is because MPD allowed them to do what they did the first time. U use mace/tear gas/rubber bullets on us all summer long? Why not them?”
Chuck Modi's interview with a BLM protesters arrested for stopping a gun-carrying Proud Boy's member 2 min 16 sec
On the 14th of December, MPD officers first assaulted and then pepper sprayed activists outside Central Cell Block supporting arrestees from Dec 12. All arrestees were released, but cops made one new arrest of someone at the jail support action.
Chuck Modi's video of the start of the police attack and escalation to pepper spray 43 sec