Using chains to lock themselves together, anti-Trump protesters successfully shut down access to a checkpoint for the inauguration along C Street on Friday.
#BlackLivesMatter and #DisruptJ20 protesters trying to shut down an #Inauguration checkpoint near John Marshall Park pic.twitter.com/erSJAVmVoi
— Ryan Lovelace (@LovelaceRyanD) January 20, 2017
Black Lives Matter and #DisruptJ20 protesters moved swiftly to block Donald Trump’s supporters and others from attending Inauguration Day festivities. The crowd began to swell as protesters from nearby groups joined their effort.
#DisruptJ20 protesters chaining themselves together to shut down this #inauguration checkpoint pic.twitter.com/2aF4Xq0RAN
— Ryan Lovelace (@LovelaceRyanD) January 20, 2017
A group of activists from Showing Up For Racial Justice came from a nearby protest to join the cause.
“We’re out here today trying to share a message of love and let people know who can’t be here and put their bodies in the streets that we are here for them and that there are others that are willing to put their bodies on the line for policies that we feel will hurt our black and brown brothers and sisters,” said Justin Weber, a protester from Showing Up for Racial Justice.
Police did not intervene to break the protesters’ chains or remove the protesters from the checkpoint. Instead, law enforcement rerouted foot traffic to other nearby checkpoints and blocked off access to the checkpoint at C Street.
The Metrorail system was running without incident Friday morning, although #DisruptJ20 had said it planned to block trains into Washington.
Thousands of protesters are expected to be in Washington to oppose Trump’s inauguration, looking to blockade Trump supporters’ access to Inauguration Day festivities, from the swearing-in to the parade to the balls Friday night.
