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Indymedia: Breaking Coverage Of Inaugural Protests

Friday, 21 January 2005, 11:18 am
Article: Indymedia

DC Indymedia: Breaking Coverage Of Inaugural Protests

http://dc.indymedia.org/

J20 Dawn Malcolm X to McPherson March Photos

3:45 Coffins carried by protestors are burning;

3:44 At least 30 riot-police at 14th and Pennsylvania; stand-off between police and protestors; whole area is filled with pepper-spray and tear-gas; 16 mainstream journalists observed getting sprayed by police with pepper-spray;

3:38 Police now sending reenforcements to 15th and H street;

3:33 Police reporting that one of two officers injured at 14th and Pennsylvania has a broken arm;

3:32 Protesters are pushing through gates at 13th and Pennsylvania;

3:31 Two women arrested at 13th and Pennsylvania;

3:20 Police snipers appearing on rooftops around 14th and Pennsylvania;

3:20 Two officers reported injured at 14th and Pennsylvania; mainstream journalists being hit and pepper-sprayed by police;

3:18 Pepper spray and tear-gas directed at protestors at 15th and Pennsylvania; at least 50 injured protestors; reports from police of "chest pains" in protestor; mainstream media journalists being hit with pepper spray; reports of bleeding from injured protestors;

3:18 Three sections of fence on inaugural parade route now broken down by protestors; fence blocking off parade route has collapsed; protestors battling police in streets; police still responding with pepper spray and tear gas;

3:15PM: Much of the first 3 blocks of Pennsylvania has a significant anti-Bush presence, hard to pick pro-bush demonstrators out of some segments.

3:14 Presidential motorcade slowed down at request of police;

3:13 Police send a request to the Bush motorcade to slow down the motorcade at 5th and Pennsylvania, as major street battle rages between protestors and police at 14th and Pennsylvania;

3:13 Tear-gas being used in street battle between protestors and police;

3:12 Bush motorcade is speeded up to get beyond the protestors on parade route;

3:11 Bush motorcade passes massive grouping of protestors on parade route; "Fuck Bush!" can be heard live on CNN as protestors out-shout Bush supporters;

3:05PM: Spot in the fense near 14 and Penn, near Willard Hotel, where they've rattled the fense, gotten it knocked over or bent over twice, MPD pepper spray. Extra police are being deployed to this area.

2:57PM: Unconfirmed reports of 4 arrests at 8th and D NW

2:56PM: Pepper sprayed anarchists at 11th and E NW

2:52PM: Protesters at 14th and Penn have been "contained" -- surrounded by the police, according to one call.

2:50PM: Some anarchists at 14th and Penn are trying to pull-down barricades, break through check-points. Check-points are being closed-down by the police. Protests at 16th and H going well. (20 people laying on ground)

2:33PM: Flags being burned at 14th and Penn. Some callers report there has been a fight of some sort between anarchists burning a flag and a Bush-supporter trying to take the flag from them.

1:50PM: Possible splinter group heading from D & 7 to Capitol area. Riot police lining the streets at Penn & 14th and maybe 1,000 anti-bush protesters in the area there.

1:45PM: Police car at Counter-Inaugural space has left, what appears to be a plainclothes cop is still hanging out by the front access.

1:43PM: "Gas" at 7th and D NW being passed out [to police], say some.

1:38PM: There's a police car (#137, MPD?) in front of the Counter-Inaugural convergence space.

1:34PM: Police being dispatched to Pershing park, report of arrests at D and 7th.

1:16PM: (updated)snow balls thrown by some activists, several people say at least 2,000 anarchists. Some sort of projectile, maybe pepper balls, corroborated by some. Snowballs were thrown. Mood as calmed down, peoples spirits are "high." Anarchist Cheerleader squad is among them.

1:10PM: 1 person down, hit by pepper spray, maybe physical force between 7th and 8th on G NW, police tried to prevent one "anarchist" march from linking up with another, things are "heating up fast." One DC Radio Coop/IMC contributor has also been hit by pepper spray. No arrests yet.

12:45PM: DAWN march is in the vicinity of McPhearson Square, people are shouting "whose streets, our streets!" Mood is "serious, but energetic." 12:53: The square is filling up, plenty of police.

12:43PM: "Anarchist march" at 13th and L, say the police around them were drawn away by "something else."

12:35PM: One arrest reported on "P circle," P street near Dupont or Logan? Choppers and police cars heard converging on an area near Logan/in Shaw.

During Bush's speech, Code Pink held up banners "Bring the troops home" and shouted. Police immediately took them away. After that another group shouted, they were taken away. 2 more protests following that. Members of the audience appluaded the police actions, shouted "USA USA," and some through snowballs while other people tried to block cameras from covering the protesters. Public radio noted this very briefly, and the CNN noted and covered none of it as far as we can tell. AP Photo

12:15PM Splinter group broke away from DAWN march at 16th and Q NW, maybe 200-300 ppl says observer.

12:09 Billionaires for Bush finished auction of Social Security and Arctic Wildlife Reserve at FDR Memorial.

11:55AM: Police chatter estimates DAWN (Malcom X/Meridian Park) march at 10,000

11:50 am DAWN march from MalcomX park just started with 5-800 going down 16th street. Police presence but not too heavy. People from Maine, Michigan, East Coast corridor. Primarily younger protestors, but people who have protested before. College students from Maine. 9 jump out vans are following them behind.

11:41AM: Marches have left Dupont Circle and Malcom X/Meridian Park

11:31AM: Bush is about to be introduced at the inauguration platform

DC Indymedia has been having cache/mirror dns issues. They may be resolved. Nothing nefarious going on.

The president preparing to go to the Capitol, "Operation Primary Package" is underway

10:38AM: TSA confirms that there was a 2-car derailment, all trains are being rerouted to New Carrolton, Union Station is "shut down" says TSA.

10:10AM: An uncorroborated report of a man in a suit, "dressed like a congressman," arrested at the "yellow gate," Independence and S. Capitol. Who he was and what he was arrested for is unknown.

9:41AM: A motorcade moving through at Washington and C streets.

9:32AM: Checkpoints B, C and E are open for access to the security zone around the inauguration

9:06AAM: The critical mass reached U and 11 NW

9:01AM: 60-75 Critical Mass riders came by the DC Indymedia Space. They are continuing their ride with cheers and high spirits. Reports are that the police are staying relatively cool but are following the ride with at least 1 jump out van.

8:52AM: Critical Mass has reached the Counter-Inaugural convergence space with no reported trouble.

ENDS

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