DC officials say city prepared for crowds ahead of protests, events – The Washington Post

D.C. police are increasing their presence in the city, deploying civil-disturbance units and closing roads to gird for several large protests, events and celebrations that are planned in the nation’s capital over the next two weekends, top city officials said at a news conference Friday.

In a kind of prelude to the demonstrations, hundreds of people marched through downtown Friday evening, carrying banners supporting many causes, with transgender rights prominent among them.

City officials said they are prepared to welcome the large crowds and maintain safety, but recommended residents and visitors travel by public transportation and be mindful of their surroundings.

“It’s going to be a busy weekend. We’re ready for it. … Let’s celebrate our D.C. values and have a lot of fun,” Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said, adding later: “We are prepared, and we don’t live in fear.”

Advertisement

Police Chief Robert J. Contee III repeatedly discouraged visitors and event participants from bringing guns into the city, broadly acknowledging national incidents of gun violence.

“Firearms have no place at these events,” Contee said during a Friday news conference. “We’re not going to tolerate foolishness.”

Over the next two weeks, tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on D.C. for a wide variety of causes. They will protest gun violence — and demonstrate in support of abortion rights and living wages. They will march in the Capital Pride Parade, enjoy Columbia Heights Day, a neighborhood festival, and honor Salvadoran culture in Mount Pleasant. They will run in a 10k race to promote healthy lifestyles, dance in downtown streets at a music festival and celebrate Juneteenth, a day that has come to symbolize the end of slavery in the United States.

Advertisement

This rush of demonstrations and other mass gatherings comes at a time of heightened anxiety — following several high-profile mass shootings across the country, demonstrations at the Supreme Court and at the homes of particular justices, and the recent arrest of a man authorities say traveled from California in an attempt to kill Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI assistant director in charge Steven M. D’Antuono said in a joint statement Friday that their offices will not tolerate violence “under the guise” of a peaceful demonstration.

Bowser said that although people may be “feeling that fear,” city officials are prepared, and excited, to once again be welcoming residents and visitors to celebrate Pride events this weekend, including the Capital Pride Parade, which is scheduled to start near 14th and T streets NW at 3 p.m. Saturday.

On Saturday, supporters of March for Our Lives, the organization founded by student survivors of the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., will rally at noon near the Washington Monument. Organizers expect 50,000 people, according to a permit issued by the National Park Service.

Advertisement

During Pride events this weekend, many downtown streets will be closed to vehicular traffic.

These are the street closures for a 10k run, and these are the closures Capital Pride Parade and Block Party. On Sunday, there will be additional street closures, which are posted here, for the Capital Pride Festival. There will also be street closures, starting Monday, related to the Something in the Water festival from June 17 to June 19 on Independence Ave SW between 3rd Street SW and 9th Street SW.

For up-to-date traffic information, residents and visitors can go to twitter.com/DCPoliceTraffic.

Clarence Williams contributed to this report

from WordPress https://ift.tt/q6Wglp5
via IFTTT