As we made our way past Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington at 1108 16th Street, which had private guards posted outside, there was much hooting and cheering as employees waved from the windows. Hotels also had management representatives at the entrance, to discourage visits. Later, as we passed the Third Church of Christ Scientist, at 900 16th Street, the following juxtaposition between banner and protest sign:
The banner cited a passage from Joshua (one of the books in the Bible): “Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee wheresoever thou goest.” Moral divide, what moral divide?I think we turned here, and the march ended a couple blocks later with a rally at McPherson Square. I checked in with the Collective and was told to follow a group that was going to try to get into the inaugural parade grounds at the entrance at 14th and Penn. I followed.
At 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, the inaugural parade route had been fenced off from the city in the interest of security and order, the fence running along Pennsylvania Avenue, while the viewing stands were set up to overlook the motorcade on E Street approaching the Ellipse. Those who could not get onto the parade grounds were left to occupy this sidewalk outside the Willard Intercontinental hotel at 1401 Penn. The hotel was festooned with flags flying from every architectural feature; people at all the windows were perceived by outspoken protesters as being likely to be Republicans or similarly corrupted by evil, and did their best to accost them from the street below. This involved much brandishing of signs and politically demonstrative fingers.
Access to the parade viewing grounds was carefully controlled, even at the 14th Street entrance reported open to the general public, and subject to many posted restrictions and security screenings, including, if we can infer from the sign advising people to inform screeners of recent radiological medical treatment, assessment for radiation. The line was never less than one block long, and moved slowly, when it moved at all. These were referred to as “security checkpoints along the parade route” by credible journalists, but once the protesters arrived, these servicemen were replaced by a phalanx of Washington Metropolitan Police in riot gear headed by a plainclothes operative with more of a Secret Service feel – the one whom you are supposed to see – and very few went through.
There were snipers on tops of buildings overlooking the parade route and entrances.
Between McPherson Square and the entrance, most intersections were blocked with jersey barriers, squad cars and metrobusses, allowing foot but no vehicular traffic. A visiting family of protesters asked me for a store selling cigarettes and film, and I pointed them to several CVS locations. There were many; like Starbucks, they were open. But the streets were clearly closed. On another intersection, a young girl, heading toward the White House with parents called mockingly to the protesters “Yay, what a party. Let’s all go kill babies!” to encouragement from family and astonishment from protesters.The party arrived down 14th Street at the security checkpoint, where the line was already long and slow. Most went to the fences before returning to get in the line. I, tasked with covering arrests, did not get in line but checked out the perimeters. As people poured into the box canyon, it quickly filled.
Toward 13th Street, in front of the National Theater, these Metropolitan Police were securing bundles of heavy plasticized rubber riot cuffs at their waists. Most officers wore these in a satchel at the hip. Later, enterprising officers used these riot cuffs to tie vulnerable sections of the fence more securely. Sparse population in the stands facing the parade is visible in the background.
Others were outfitted with pepper spray, in a variety of delivery systems, and wide array of truncheons, from switch through baton and all the way to club.Officer Doe, here, is dressed in our Thin Blue Line winter ensemble and smartly accessorized with the “Riot Extinguisher” from Defense Technologies / Federal Laboratories, featuring direct action Uzi grip, delivering 46 ounces of First Defense brand 10% oleoresin capsicum solution with a range of 10 yards in a dispersed spray pattern, and worn bandoleer style in the fetching black nylon shoulder sling.
Before long the riot police appeared outside the checkpoint on 14th Street. They stood, generally not interacting with protesters, idly for a while before moving behind the fence to reinforce the gate.
It is significant to note at this point that these officers were D.C. Metropolitan Police officers in crowd control garb. In the recent election, voters in the District of Columbia voted overwhelmingly against Bush (or for Kerry, if you care to retain that illusion). Ergo, although invoked time and again as evidence of the police state inculcated by the Bush regime, and confronted with the most disrespectful epithets and gestures from among the protesters, these men and women were those protesters’ political allies (see centricle.com for some excellent and (re)humanizing photos of these officers), and unless, of course, those protesters did not recognize government.Among the protesters were also non-protesting persons who had hoped to be admitted to see the parade. Many were W-sporting, cowboy hat and furs gentry staying in the posh hotels. Others were nondescript. Those who were recognizably supporters of the administration were harassed. On the eastern corner protesters yelled “Shame on you” at any woman in make up and furs. On the western corner, a passing protester of the covered face variety shouted at some apparent republicans who had given up hope of getting in and occupied seats on a railing, calling them “Babykillers” and heaping invective. They took it smiling. I caught up with the shouting anarchist and told him “Thanks for that vigorous defense of the moral high ground. Way to go, Comrade!” Another elderly couple, making their way from the fence to the line, were surrounded by jumping, yelling, placard brandishing activists in a manner that would have put me in fear of an imminent offensive bodily contact.
Nobody yelled at the amputee in uniform.
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