Our right to protest is important everywhere — but it is especially important in the capital. Authoritarian leaders throughout history have tried to control and restrict people in the capital because they know that controlling the capital is a way to control the nation, and a way to prevent the transfer of power. We saw that on January 6.
We are in our third month of military occupation by armed forces from other states and by gangs of federal agents who are attacking our communities. They have attacked our unhoused neighbors, our immigrant neighbors, our Black and Brown neighbors, our cultural institutions, and the thousands of people here who serve as federal workers.
Here in DC, they have tried to take over our local police department. They have put a disgraced Fox News host, Jeanine Pirro, in charge of local prosecutions, and their allies in Congress are now trying to pass more than a dozen bills and two dozen budget riders all aimed at taking away basic rights from people in the capital of this country.
This president has tried to instill fear among people — but we know better.
The people of DC are joyful AND powerful. We know we have what it takes to not just resist this tyrant but to actively take him out of power. This is not just about voting. This is not just about attending rallies. We have to organize right now like our lives depend on it.
