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A group of protesters have gathered in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, blocking traffic along some corridors. DCist's Fredo Alvarez captured these two images, one of the protesters (we're told they are an anti-war group, carrying signs with messages varying from identifying themselves with Students for a Democratic Society to "Make Funk, Not War"), and the other of an MPD vehicle that's been splattered with red paint. We don't have many reliable details at this point, but we've heard that for at least part of their march, the group went the wrong way down 19th Street NW, causing a lot of traffic backup, and that they were also spotted near M Street NW between 16th and 17th, creating a traffic jam there as well. Several reports indicate the police response appears to be disproportional to the small number of protesters (maybe the going down the wrong way on a one-way street had something to do with that?). We'll update with more soon.
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They were right outside my office. I took a bunch of photos but my computer at work doesn't have a memory card dock so I'm uploading them as we speak to the DCist Flickr pool.
Also, the cops seemed pretty passive. I don't know why there were so many, but they seemed to be doing the usual escort thing.
I see some banners unfurled, but did they have any puppets? I refuse to watch protests unless they use giant puppets, or hold a freeze-in or a sleep-in.
Generation X/Y/Why Me? suck at protesting.
I mean, they're kinda embarrassing themselves there...
wait wait wait. As a Gen X who in the mix at the Battle of Seattle that shut down the WTO, pin this kind of lame march party thing on the Ys. Kind of obvious that these were kids who were recently shuttled from band practice to ballet by their parents, esp since they didn't have the good sense to let us all know what they were protesting exactly.
Actually we are mostly college students who live on our own and we were protesting war in Iraq and Afghanistan, do we really need to spell it out to you?
Why are police so threatened by protesters? They use words. In this case, relatively harmless paint. There response was to encircle Dupont with squad cars, and then add an inner circle of patrolman shoulder to shoulder. Unbelievable. And with half the force in Dupont Circle, how safe are the residents of DC beyond that area?
I think the cops are the primarily to protect the stinking hippies from angry yuppies who would probably sue the city if their car got scraped.
Nothing creates more sympathy for your cause then inconveniencing and annoying people followed by vandalism of government property trying to prevent anymore people from being inconvenienced and annoyed.
Oh also incredibly lame and cliched signs like "Make Funk, not war" don't help either. You are not in the 1960's and acting like you are will not bring back the 60's and the peace movement anymore than civil war reenactors can bring back the civil war.
"Make Funk, Not War" is from The Onion. You're not going to get people to take you seriously if you use slogans lifted from a satircal news article.
Protest Finishes One Protestor Short of Success
It's not sympathy, it's attention and recognition that we want. You don't end a war by being passive. Also, we had no signs that said "Make funk, not war." We had signs that said "Funk the war" because this is a dance protest. The 60's are dead but the U.S. is still at war, and we won't sit quietly in our schools and jobs while our government is making millions murdering innocents.
The better question is why don't they do something better with their lives. The Democrat won the Presidency. Most of the troops are leaving Iraq. Will these people not be happy until we disband the military and fend off our enemies with hackey sacks and bong smoke?
That's just the thing, the troops in Iraq are fighting to protect our freedom. Once the troops leave Iraq, we'll lose that right. That's why they're protesting now while they still can.
that's exactly what we want...
@Stapaulova Why are police so threatened by protesters? They use words. In this case, relatively harmless paint.
Last I checked Flinging paint is not words. Also I know I would be pissed if someone got paint all over my car wouldn't you? Wouldn't you consider that an attack (and on of non verbal variety). Also are you sure that paint isn't going to cost the taxpayers money to have to repaint the cop car? Do you know for a fact there wasn't any more "harmless" items that were planning to be used and then labeled as "words"? Finally don't you think the cops have an interest in making sure no paint is flung in the middle of very busy DuPont circle and hitting bystanders and passing cars and possibly causing an accident?
Seems like a strong show of force was necessary before the "protesters" got the idea that they could get away with even more law breaking, disruptions, and anarchy and got out of hand.
The best way of dealing with such situations is to nip it in the bud via prevention and overwhelming force.
Sigh.
Yes, I would be pissed. No, I would not consider it an attack. I would consider it a civil wrong and take legal action against them.
yes, it will probably cost money to repaint the car, and as there is documentation of the incident, I'm sure the police department's insurance company will seek compensation for the costs.
Yes, I'm pretty sure that there were no more violent acts there. I was there. Like thousands of other onlookers were, wondering why the police were making such a fuss.
Yes, police have an interest in protecting the public , and I certainly hope that with a ratio of half the force to one individual standing right in front of them, they were able to catch the paint thrower and confiscate any remaining paint.
Every time the police grossly overpower the activities of free people, their authority is undermined further, and liberty is undermined as well.
Outnumbered, apparently, but "overpowered"? Interesting choice of words. The sad truth is that municipalities are less trusting of protesters since Seattle, and consider it a short step from throwing paint to throwing bricks.
I can assure you the cost of cleaning a cop's car costs much less to tax payers than an unjust war
WHAT DO WE WANT....?
NEW PROTEST SLOGANS!!!
WHEN DO WE WANT IT....?
Crowd: NOW!!!!
Hey Hey
Ho Ho
Scary clowns have got to go!
We need another Vietnam to thin out their ranks a little.
Vietnam didn't "thin" anyone's ranks. Except the Vietnamese.
If the Reagan era taught us anything, it's that the only way to get rid of hippies is to turn them into self-centered yuppies as quickly as possible. This usually involves tax breaks, cocaine, bad music, and even worse fashion sense.
We have new tax breaks, cocaine is popular again, there is plenty of bad music with stupid clothing to boot. I'd say we're on our way. The difference between hippies and yuppies isn't money, but where the money is coming from.
calling you on it: Simpsons Quote.
Their problem is that they protested in Dupont Circle. If they protested in Fort Dupont, or Trinidad, they could have done whatever the hell they wanted, because the city doesn't give a shit about those areas. In Dupont Circle, there are small animals on leashes, lattes, and a farmer's market that all run the risk of getting kicked/spilled/distracted.
Think any of the protesters could/would want to find Fort Dupont or Trinidad, let alone go there to block traffic and generally piss people who live there off?
So inconveniencing DC residents, some of whom are probably sympathetic to your myriad of causes, by blocking traffic is what passes for effective protesting these days?
Come on Hillman, you reactionary!! They were protesting against important injustices including.....ummm...exactly what was their point?
By blocking traffic, we block commerce. DC Capitalists lost 250,000 dollars in disruptions and damages that day alone. If i'm responsible for the loss of this money, then to me it was an effective protest you arrogant asshole.
i see we've been "infiltrated" by some real mental giants here.
You know what I see? I see a minor cold being treated with the Z-pak. Unless the cops got word from an inside source within L'Armee du Funke about a suicide drum circle or mutinous hackey sack ring, this swarm of die Polizei seems egregious.
Get thee to a nine-one-onery, pig.
Ha- I left for work from Dupont at 4pm but as I was leaving saw about 25 motorcycle cops parked outside the CPK on Connecticut and another dozen bike cops outside Starbucks and was a little confused as to what they were doing. At work later in NE I saw about 50 bike cops going down H Street towards Bladensburg, it was a funny sight and I didn't think to connect the two.
There were about twice as many cops than protesters, and all I saw was a lot of REALLY bad dancing.
I saw a gang of forty bike cops cruising down 9th street near Chinatown yesterday, backed by a few motorcycles. It was the most bizarre thing I've ever seen, but I'll take it over Crown Vics and Impalas.
whomever the assholes were, they vandalized national geographic property. they spray painted our walls, destroyed plantings, and put stickers on everything that employees had to spend time scraping off. wish i would have gone downstairs, would have been nice to knock a few heads.