Photo by thisisbossi.

The reports of Occupy DC‘s possible death were greatly exaggerated. In fact, protesters who have set up shop inside McPherson Square for the past few days have gotten a boost as hundreds of demonstrators friendly to their causes have gathered at Freedom Plaza this morning.

The Stop the Machine protest — which had been planned and permitted for months — kicked off last night at Busboys and Poets on 14th Street NW. The event — which is marking the 11th anniversary of the beginning of the war in Afghanistan and aims to denounce the use of taxpayer money to fund it — is not specifically connected to the Occupy movement. But the concerns, support and tactics of participants in both certainly overlap. It’s a much-needed boost in support for Occupy DC protesters, which, according to some reports, was down to five people yesterday morning. (McPherson Square has been much busier in the evenings, after protesters get off work, though.)

D.C. police are expecting around a thousand people to participate in the rally at Freedom Plaza this afternoon; the group will then march to the White House around 3 p.m. Participants involved in the Occupy DC protest are planning to maintain their presence at McPherson during the Stop the Machine event, and they, much like their cohorts in New York, are starting to attract support from labor unions: a member of Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 2, told us that his union of more than 5,000 has unanimously endorsed the group’s efforts.