On the 1st of October, Iranians marched in DC and many other US cities in solidarity with the hard-pressed fighters in the women’s uprising against theocracy in their home country. Local activists turned out to support them. The uprising began when security forces murdered Mahsa Amini over a veil worn “improperly.” Much like police murders in the US, this has set off a firestorm of resistance.

Oct 1 was a global day of action to support resistance inside Iran. There were marches in hundreds of cities and the capitols of many countries. Here in DC, the solidarity march was many blocks long when it set off down K st. The first target was the Washington Post. Marchers stopped there, and at that point the sound vehicles joined the protest. From there the march reversed direction, ending up at a building housing the Iranian government’s representatives in the US.

So far the protests in Iran have held their ground for over two weeks. The regime has desperately resorted to brutality and force, only to see the protests escalate. Already police and security forces have murdered over 1,500 unarmed civilians protesting the regime, children included. They have responded to protests with the kind of force Trump was only able to talk about using, but instead of stopping the protests it is escalating them. The government’s brutality is having the effect of throwing water on burning oil(fire spreads) or flour on a kitchen fire(boom). If the government murders too many people for protesting in public, underground armed resistance become safer and an insurgency may result. This is one of the standard ways civil wars get started.

Iran’s vicious and brutal morality police are a lot like the misogynistic antiabortion extremists and gaybashers who have been spreading like a plague right here in the US, and Iran’s fight today may well be our fight tomorrow. Theocracy is to the right of fascism and even monarchism, the latter being the form of government the US imposed on Iran after the 1953 proposal by a democratic government to nationalize the oil industry. Since the revolution to overthrow that monarchy was hijacked by theocrats in 1979, the regime in Iran (and its horrific torture and murder) may be as “made in the USA” as any Bible-thumping Texas preacher calling on the sheriff to set checkpoints to stop pregnant women from going out of state for abortion, and for his flock to hunt down LGBTQ folks.

As for the US’s sanctions on Iran, many protesting in Iran (some demanding nothing less than regime change) have stated that the sanctions make the regime and the wealthy stronger and are instead harming the less well off majority in the country.

The July 4 Beltway blockade. If Judge Koch thinks THIS is a traffic problem maybe a look at I-75 in FL would be educational(photo by Declare Emergency)

I-75 backed up from flood-forced closure Sep 30th. HERE’s your climate emergency in action, judge Koch! Unlike a short-lived protest blockade, this is still ongoing as this is written. Folks here are lucky to even still have their cars. Fuck off with your whining about a peaceful sit-in on a dry road that goes minutes to hours

On Sep 30th in a Rockville, MD courtroom, Judge Koch ignored recommendations for prosecutors and sentenced 13 Declare Emergency activists to 4 days in jail for blockading the Capitol Beltway on July 4. That’s right-the judge gave them jail time prosecutors were NOT asking for, on his own initiative.

Prosecutors should consider that when protesters consider a public emergency to exist, any attempt to make civil disobedience impossible may result in further escalation. In the wake of Hurricane Ian’s devastation in Florida it is no longer possible to argue that there is no public emergency!

There is a scientific consensus that climate change is making hurricanes more powerful, and Ian hit in the Ft Myers area just 2 mph short of Cat 5 strength and was one of the 5 most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the US. Tampa (a MAJOR city) barely missed complete destruction,saved by the storm hitting further south. Waist-high floodwaters were reported as far in land as Orlando.

Perhaps Judge Koch should try to drive to Sanabel Island, and determine in person whether climate change is now a public emergency. Oh that’s right-the causeway is down in multiple locations. Maybe try Ft Myer’s Beach instead, where a storm surge put houses in open water with waves on it. That is, if the judge can even navigate the gas lines, closed roads, and widespread power outages. Oh yeah: I-75 on Florida’s Gulf Coast was closed for flooding far longer than Declare Emergency could ever have kept the Beltway shut down.

more:
https://dcindymedia.org/node/3992

Once a year, the “ten-four DC” trucker rally sets up on the Mall, polishing and showing off their semis and talking to the public about trucking industry issues and concerns. This year they have a problem: the far-right/antivax/1776 movement convoy MAGAts are trying to take it over.

This is a classic example of a strategy known as “entryism” in which a smaller, more radical organization attempts to infiltrate and take control of a much larger group.

From the organizers’ website: “Ten Four D.C. is a neutral ground. We do not promote protests, shutdowns, or strikes” according to this the 1776 Movement is a disruption and can legitimately be removed from the event.

tenfourdc(dot)com/what-we-do

On the 29th of September, protesters outside Supreme Court “Justice” Alito’s home emphasized that he and the Supreme Court are now considered illegitimate by tens of millions if not more. He and Roberts had been whining about this growing realization on social media. This in turn told protesters what to focus on.

On the 28th of September, protesters returned to the homes of Supreme Court “Justices” Kavanaugh and Roberts. At Kavanaughs, one cop hissed threats for clicking drumsticks, another got on the PA and read out a “warning” implying use of “amplified sound” which drums are not by anyone could lead to arrests of everyone. Protesters kept the action going.

First cop in this scene has just shaken his head and hissed a threat

This cop was the only one using sound amplification equipment-the PA in his car

On the 24th of September, J6 insurgents and their supporters returned to DC for the 2nd September in a row. There may have been as few as 80 of them. Two large groups of Proud Boys were spotted outside the city but may have flaked out or othewise not made it in. Cops aggressively fended off and attempted to kettle counterprotesters.

Even though the aggressive kettling attempts and dispersal warnings were the work of Capitol Police, there were reports that coordination of the police reponse (in the rest of the city or including the Capitol unknown) may have been the work of killer cop Jason Bagshaw. Bagshaw is notorious as the murderer of Lazarus David Wilson, whom Bagshaw shot and killed at the Wharf on July 16 2022. It is possible the kettling attempts were fakes aimed at intimidation and dispersal when mass arrests were not authorized, this is a classic Bagshaw tactic.

Photo by Sadie

On the 23ed of September, Harriet’s Dreams showed up to protest at the homes of MPD (DC police) chief Contee. They were there to protest recent shootings by DC cops.

On the evening of the 17th of September, the infamous “Heartbeat of Miami” fake clinic network held a fundraising dinner at Trump National Doral on the outskirts of Miami. While some protesters held a presence outside, two went inside to disrupt the event, got into the ballroom,and raised a ruckus. They were then grabbed by a mixture of Proud Boys, “Trump Police” and actual cops. They were then arrested on spurious charges as seems to be common in Miami.

Heartbeat of Miami has been found to be a major connection between Fundamentalist Christian groups, Fascist groups, and the GOP in Miami. Thus this fundraising ball was a major strategic target. The fact that Proud Boys were mixed with police and “Trump Police” security guards at this event is dangerous. Miami is known for their GOP chapter being effectively captured by the Proud Boys-and for considerable overlap between them and the police. This is much like the KKK in the old South.

The Trump connection is also menacing. If Donald Trump gets back in the White House in Jan 2025, abortion will probably be a felony for both doctor and patient in all 50 states by July 2025. All-out attacks and even police roundups aimed at the LGBTQ community would also be likely. Already parents of trans kids under age 18 in Texas have effectively been made fugitives by TX gov Abbot and his coconspirators.

Protesters got inside too

Holding space outside

On the 14th of September, protesters targetted GOP Senator Lindsey Graham for the seccond day in a row over his introduction of a bill to ban abortion in all 50 states after 15 weeks. This time around, protesters went to his house not far from the US Capitol.

So much for Lindsey Graham’s talk of leaving abortion issues for state governments much less those who can get pregnant to decide-whgat a hypocrite!

On the 13th of September, GOP Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a bill to ban abortion nationwide after 15 weeks. He then showed up at the so-called “Susan B Anthony” ball-a militantly antichoice event that this year is celebrating the Supreme Court legalizaing forced-birth laws w the Dobbs decision. Furious protesters outside made attendees (Graham included) run a gauntlet of screaming activists to get in.

Some of the antichoicers were photographed and warned they could be doxxed as they got out of their cars.

It is unknown what if any is the conmnection between these Christian fascists and feminist and voting rights campaigner Susan B Anthony. Doubt has been cast be review of statements opposing abortion alleged to have been made by her:
susanbanthonyhouse(dot)org/blog/misrepresenting-susan-b-anthony-on-abortion