DC Chapter On-Scene Reports: Anti-Capitalist Protesters Arrested - 9/27/02

DC Chapter and Working Capitalists | September 27, 2002 | Angelwood

[Angelwood]

A rally was held this morning at Dupont Circle by some of the anti-capitalist protesters inundating DC today. After the rally, the group began walking peacefully on Connecticut Avenue toward Farragut Square at 18th and K Streets, N.W.

When the group reached the block between L and K Streets, they stopped. Some of the protesters formed smaller groups to walk in circles at the four corners of the intersections, while others decided to drop down to the ground (execute a die-in) at the midpoint of the block in front of the Greater Atlantic Bank.

I spoke to an undercover officer at our vantage point across the street from the action. He told me that the group chanted while marching in the street: LESS BANK, MORE WORLD then MORE WORLD, LESS BANK, etc. The protesters were given opportunities to maintain a peaceful walk, but some of them decided to drop to the ground in front of the bank anyway. After warnings, those who came to be arrested were arrested.

The police, led by Chief Ramsey, were prepared and loaded up a Metro bus with protesters. While police in full riot gear stood in the intersections and around the perimeter area, the loaded bus was escorted to its destination by a number of police cars and 17 motorcycle policemen.

News photographers and cameramen took up a position in the middle of the street to film the protesters as the bus pulled out. One protester pressed his/her cuffed hands against the window, while another young girl with bandana stood smiling for the cameras.

The officer standing next to me pointed out a guy across the street wearing a bright green baseball cap. He said the "green hats" were the protesters' legal advisers. When asked what would happen to those arrested, he was not sure what they would be charged with or what the disposition would be. Hopefully, they won't be back on the streets in time to cause more trouble today or tomorrow.

After the arrested protesters were taken away and the others moved on to their next encounter, the crowd disbursed.

[FreeTheHostages]

I'm back. Went out for a walk at lunch, down to 19th and Pennsylvania. More media and cops and onlookers than protestors on the north end of the fenced-off area. I approached some college students who said they were Democrats but not with the protestors, who they thought were silly. I tried out on them my counterprotest sign ideas:

This is Your Brain on Drugs

or

Capitalism Doesn't Like You Either


They liked the first one better.

Cops seem to be everywhere, can't walk a block in this downtown district without seeing one.

[FreeTheHostages]

On my way to work, at approximately 8:45 am, I crossed Dupont Circle. There there was a group of I'd say about 50 people who had joined themselves in a "snake" with a series of ropes -- about four across and about 12 long. They were wearing leaves in their hair and waving sparklers. Some of them were wearing dancers' tights and dance clothes. Some unchained people in the front were dancing in ballet like fashion. Some women held construction paper daises.

Who KNOWS what this meant! I looked at them astounded: a preschool class might try something like this at recess. Well, on they went, northwest across the circle to the intersection of Mass Ave on the circle with southbound Connecticut, and there they veered ONTO the actual traffic circle and apparently were going to parade ever so slowly about the circle to slow down traffic.

Cop cars came from literally *nowhere* -- they just materialized out of thin air. And before they could even fully block the street, they were ushered out of it. One cop car went briefly the wrong way on Dupont Circle (with traffic already stopped, and his lights on) to reach them.

Cops are doing a good job. Johnny-on-the-spot.

[FreeTheHostages]

Man-on-the-street view:

This town is mostly democrats. But EVERYONE I know at work thinks these protestors are just silly. I haven't met anyone local who thinks this is a good idea. People are all saying: (1) these guys don't dress well (2) they have too many messages and (3) how do they persuade me or get their point across my disrupting my morning commute?

I work near all this and I agree with nina and ned: we haven't seen much by way of a disruption in commutes this morning. The downtown traffic is proceeding apace.

[Dengar01]

Some residents in the area went outside to confront the protesters and cut the rope down. They chased the protesters away. As the protesters screamed, "We're nonviolent," the residents responded by saying, "We are!"

YES!!! Go get em FReepers!!!

[FreeTheHostages]

"A group of the protesters were stringing a rope across 16th Street around Q Street "

$%$#%*&$#@% these vermin are in my neighborhood, but a block and half right now from where my cats peacefully sleep

[jayef]

There is no such thing. Every human being (even a communist) trades on some form of capital. Anti-corporate? Yes. Anti-capitalist? No such animal.

[Kwilliams]

Thanks much for the report

[Dante3]

One of their plans was to disrupt commuter traffic. Did they succeed? I heard that they only did at two Metro stations where they used Crazy-Glue.

[VaMarVet]

Still need someone to do a live thread tomorrow as we call in updates approx. 1045 to ? EST. Long distance okay. FReepmail soonest with phone number - we did this during the Patriots Rally in DC and when we faced off the unwashed in NYC - Dave

[FreeTheHostages]

Nope, Dante3 they didn't. They tried to superglue a couple of Metro stations last night, but the doors were unstuck before opening time. My commute -- walking through a lot of this -- was easy this morning.

I will tell you this: seems like there are fewer people around the downtown area today. So a lot of people maybe took the day off.

But so far as I can tell, no major commuter problems.

There would have been if the police hadn't done their job and made these arrests. Believe me, police are earning their salary today. They've done a very good job here.

[buffyt]

ALGore and Unabomber are anti-capitalists.

[Mr. K]

Anti-capitalist is the new politically correct term for communists (and/or socialists) because they KNOW what people would do to them if they called themselves communists or socialists in public...

Even notice how the left always has to hide iitself in new-age terms to avoid telling people what they are really all about? They tried to use 'progressive' instead of 'liberal' for a while but it did not quite catch on.

[buffyt]

I heard they were planning a big bike parade/protest to try to tie up traffic, etc. Where do their bikes come from if not from some capitalist factory????? They don't use their brains!!!!! None of them are naked, where do their clothes come from? Where did their transportation come from? Don't they realize SOME people HAVE to work to PROVIDE all the things they are enjoying, including their free speech?????

[buffyt]

You are RIGHT, Capitalists are the opposite of Communists. Good definition!

[Mr. K]

Anti-capitalist is the new politically correct term for communists (and/or socialists) because they KNOW what people would do to them if they called themselves communists or socialists in public...

Even notice how the left always has to hide iitself in new-age terms to avoid telling people what they are really all about? They tried to use 'progressive' instead of 'liberal' for a while but it did not quite catch on.

[mr.sarcastic]

I tried out on them my counterprotest sign ideas:

This is Your Brain on Drugs
or
Capitalism Doesn't Like You Either

My vote is for #1, but I think someone should have a sign with the following:

Keep America Beautiful-- Take a Bath

[FreeTheHostages]

Did you heard the fighter jet go over the city around 1:10 pm? If it was anything serious, we would know about it. But I'm just noting how *loud* it was. It left from Andrews and, unlike the normal path, went straight over the city. Wonder what THAT was about. . . .

There are a few police helicopters overhead, mostly for surveillance it seems. CNN has on their website some pretty good photographs of protestors and police.

[FreeTheHostages]

Yeah, that's my #3. That's a good one.

[nina0113]

None of them are naked,

Oh, but they're going to be - they've scheduled a mass strip in front of the Gap in Georgetown, starting just about now, to protest the Gap founders' support of logging.

where do their clothes come from?

Not the Gap.

[VaMarVet]

You got FReepmail - call me about the thread!