I held alot of footage until I made it back to a safe place because of those threats. I spent my first day running around town looking for intel and supporting our community. I arrived in DC, where I grew up, on Monday night and saw a few trump supporters around 2/
I ran into issues with my safe house and had to figure out alternative that kept me from running into downtown to Guage how many people were already here, so I held off until Tuesday morning. 3/
Tuesday morning Enrique tarrio was suppose to have court at 9am but the court house was delayed until 1pm. While I was hanging around I met a ruptly reporter and we talked about what may happen, and I shared some of the bomb threats I had seen which surprised him. 4/
Shortly after getting coffee we saw a group of what we suspected to be supporters of tarrio walk up. They were marked with American flag arm bands and a few had the signature black and gold. They were pretty cold to the media while they tried to find info out 5/
At one point a person is on the phone with what sounds like a legal team and is going over details, like court at 1am "it isn't looking good" and I heard something about possibly multiple felonies. ( later when court trial happened was not true) 6/
They all left around 10ish to go back to thier airbnb and hotel to gather and possibly not be back for trial. I took off and started looking downtown for roaming groups heading towards freedom plaza and see if we had any obvious fash to keep our intel fresh and constant. 7/
While walking past down 7th street I saw a group of men in red hoodies that were very sus. One appeared to be obviously conceled carrying. They were from North Texas "patriot boys" group. The one carrying vacations during Thanksgiving in Gatlinburg TN every year. 8/
I had asked them where freedom plaza was( I was in flannel and said I just got in from WV, not to draw suspicion to me) and had a chat while they walked south towards the mall. They split off and kept going while I alerted communities of their precense. 9/
Through out the Pennsylvania Ave area there were some but not much national guard. Mostly outside trump hotel and these two were getting on the metro they were all unarmed as per bowesers orders and they were bullshiting with each other. 10/
These signs made it clear that no firearms, even legally carried were not allowed. They were posted through out the city. They have been pretty common over last few years for big demonstrations. 11/
After seeing trump hotel I went by Harry's and the Hotel Harrington before making it to Freedom Plaza to see what the scene looked like. The hotel and bar were suppose to be closed and I just wanted to confirm they were, which appeared to be the case. 12/
While I got to the Hotel Harrington and Harry's I saw that it was lunch time for the national guard. They were laughing and having a good time, while trumpers were thanking them for thier service. That tune changed within next 36hrs. 13/
Once national guard pulled away I made my way around the block and into freedom plaza. While on my way I saw people selling gear, talking about antifa trying to infiltrate, and others flying flags. 14/
When I got to freedom plaza I put phone on my hip and tried to covertly film.alot of the crowd.I didn't realize how much my camera was blocked, and my hand in the way. Most was unusable, but few sound bites like "I've never seen this many white people" and talk of crowd size 15/
This is what freedom plaza looked like between 11 and 12pm on Tuesday morning. Kinda thinned out until you got close to stage where alot of media was and speeches being given. I headed to the court house to see the trial and how the judge in dc would treat Tarrio 17/
On my way through downtown we still saw some places boarding windows, and some that had been up since election night. 18/
I had to stop on the corner of 6th street and F? To remove some hate stickers. I really hate that they keep using rap culture while talking about killing black people. It's a direct hypocrisy that the fash love to do, but this sticker is no longer there. 19/
As I got back to 500 Indiana Ave. Guess who we see for the fucking third time in three months, yes. That is Jake Angeli without his full set up, but is still able to open carry a spear. 20/
Jake Angeli puts his spear down momentarily to do this ritual that sounds like war preparations outside of several courthouses. Shortly after he disappears into the downtown scene. 21/
It becomes a waiting game, while we wait for the court trial of Enrique tarrio to start. Other media started gathering on the north( front) side of 500 Indiana Ave. Several folks with trump flags showed up and hung around for a moment. 22/
After a while of nothing and standing forever, I decided to take a walk around the block and see if I see anything. As I got to the corner of 3rd and C St, I linked up with some other press just in time for arraignment to start. 23/
As we watched the judge trying and force Enrique tarrio to put a mask on for their hearing, and a bit of back and forth the charges were about hi-cap mags and the destruction of property. He got a court date later this year, and has a stay away order. 24/
The defense tried to challenge the stay away order as it was for all of DC and make it just for BLM plaza, but judge denied that due to the amount of residents and businesses that have signs in support for the movement. Tarrio has to leave the city and 24hrs to check in. 25/
After waiting somewhere near 30-45mins I wanna say, tarrio was out of custody. This was the moment as a few supporters of his and trump greeted him. 26/
Media circles around Enrique Tarrio to ask a fee questions like what is his plan to continue, how is he getting out of dc, and a few other things. He says " he can't come back, but my boys can". Woman in red has "Mum" with the u out of laurel wealth 27/
This is the license plate of the truck that picked him up. NY tags JGS2499 grey Toyota Tacoma. 28/
As I left and made my way toward BLM plaza which I was planning on just stopping by for a moment, an RV was being searched. After Christmas in Nashville police are extra cautious. 29/
As I am recording the scene, more and more officers flood into the area and keep pushing us back. I get increasingly frustrated, and understand the risk that I take when I film and the conditions. 30/
Yet another time that dc police push us a bit further away. This time I am out of sight of events going on. "Time distance shielding" accounting being taken into place. Apparently a glass bus stop will stop an explosion from harming you here in dc. 31/
I cross the street again just to get a better angle. The explosives detection dog arrived along with some other EOD officers, and make thier way up to the RV. 32/
As the scene wraps up and given all clear officers defiantly sigh with relief. A few intense moments and wondering what will happen made everyone clench. I start making my way back towards BLM plaza. 33/
As I make my way down I street just a block away from the Plaza, I see it is shut off and some trumpers are having thier ID checked. One medic is attending to injuries, which I found out later are from pepperspray from trumpers and police. 34/
After the plaza was reopened, a group of three or four guys in camo came by. They had a patch with "armor gods" written on it and definatly gave a fashy vibe. Later more than confirmed it when an altercation ensued. 35/
Before sharing whole video I wanna take a moment to isolate this. While they were within the BLM crowd that was protecting the plaza they stood by with padlocks out that can break bones, while bypassing local weapon laws. 36/
Part one. Altercations usually escalate when community members ask people who don't have a mask to put one on. Mayor bowsers order 7-131 requires you to have one, up to 1000 dollar fine. Community will give you a mask if you don't have one. I didn't see the start. 37/
Part 2, the armor God fashy people were peace policing and trying to create a buffer between the cops and us. Trumpers were escorted away from BLM plaza and another incident occurred. I didn't film it as I was distracted. 38/
I was distracted because it happened quickly and cops had a mace can out I was taking a photo of. As I turned around I saw our corpses shield get snatched by the guys in camo. I recovered it quickly before they could put behind police line and checked in on our comrades. 39/
Shortly after this another Trump supporters was making threats and instigating a fight. She pulled a bright pink tazer out and zapped it.
@HuntedHorse joke that the cops would arrest her, but I blew it off. Within one minute they did exactly that. 40/
This is edited to protect the person who is now released, but cops arrested a Plaza Protecter who is always out there with the false bait of "let us fix your megaphone. They did not give a reason why of the arrest, but snatched quickly. 41/
The plaza had several folks from trump supporters, to suspected proud boys, to just random tourists. Come through. Always greeted with resistance if the mask wasn't on. Guy in first photo was offering sandwiches as a reason for no mask. 42/
The police at this point after enough trumpers started to gather set up a police line and stopped people from coming in, including some BLM folks who got trapped and harassed for being there. Everything started to calm down and I made my way through and left the area 43/
As I made it to K Street and making sure I wasn't followed I see in a message group about 200 fash on the way to plaza, a minute later I hear the "USA USA USA" chants coming heavily from Vermont and I street making thier way to plaza. Myself and 2 other journos book it away 44/
We zig zag on each block due to hotels full of trumpers. We get a side eye each time and we just keep going. We made it back to safety with one small pit stop for candy and drink at Walgreens. I got a ride back to my safe house and gear up for the next day. 45/
I couldn't sleep well. I didn't think much of what to come. It has been impossible to prepare for nov14 or d12 so I was just winging it. I had a plan to be at a March at 6pm, but that was fluid. Local organizers priotize life over property with these types of situations. 46/
I stayed in bed until about 9am when I had to get up and move. I had to make it back uptown for a small mutual aid event in a park where I met with
@ChuckModi1 and
@blackhousenew. We all linked and rolled into the shit show to come. 47/
The mutual aid event was good to catch up on how some friends were doing, got myself something to eat later, which I never do( thanks
@blackhousenew ) and we came up with a plan. We wanted to go see if the NFAC was down on the plaza at 11, and jail support. 48/
Jail support was a high risk action based off location and several other arrested the night before. We decided to check out the plaza first and headed that way. 49/
Throughout the city a wheat pasting campaign was done the night before. This is the opinion of dc locals. That the proud boys needed to GTFO of our town 50/
When we arrived to the plaza it was shutdown between I and H streets. Cops held line, plaza protectors there holding the space, and a crowd of maybe 10 activists confronting the stream of trumpers. 51/
The crowds were all varied. Most were there to talk shit and call blm lovers, which was ironic since thier candidate actually lost. Woman in last photo ended up kicking someone before leaving the area. 52/
More trump supporters faces. Person in last photo wanted me to start a fight with him. Picture of grey sweatshirt was yelling at a black man. And first picture is of Lady who kicked someone. 53/
More people including one with a speaker playing anti-CCP rap music, and a patriot front(?) Member showed up. I also spotted some "fuck Antifa" stickers that need to still be delt with. 54/
Two comrades show up with thier soup for thier family and some twisted tea that hits. I am informed about an illegal search of a car and a person needing some help. I get thier contact and have to roll out of the plaza. 55/
We start making our way to jail support but when we got there we realized no one was there. There was the March happening that was gonna end up at the capitol so
@ChuckModi1 @blackhousenew and myself just quickly check with each other that we wanted to go up there. 56/
We all know our job description and ran into the Frey. I first spotted the III%er flag and alot of different people in gear. Jokes about coming for congress reps was still vague. 57/
As we make our way left off 3rd and penn, we are nearing the base of the capitol. Lots of flags and poles, people talking about dragging folks out, how they are the real winners and other violent talk. As I get close to steps I see the barricade has been moved. 58/
By the time we got there, there were already people on the scaffolding. It was only one not both, but it was still like what..... they got through with little to no resistance? Any time I've been to a capitol protests there are HUNDREDS of cops surrounding the building. 59/
I only saw 11 on this side when I got there. People started chanting "fight for trump" egging the crowd on. This plus the fee people saying charge definatly helped pump up crowd to take action. 60/
There were several people from Florida with a law enforcement motor cycle club I saw hanging around gathering. Couldn't get a good face pic through people on barricade. There was several stacks of chairs behind me that folks climbed on. 61/
One of the surreal moments as crowd is screaming in joy that they made it this far. There were several people talking about hanging Pelosi, using guillotine, and firing squads. I do honestly think if they had gotten hands on a congress person they would've died. 62/
"USA USA USA" while the capitol was surrounded by innsurectionists. 63/
Around this time, cops were posted but no mutions had been fired to my knowledge. A person opened the stacks of chairs and started handing them out. Later used to deflect rounds from police help people over fence, and for people to rest. 64/
Police Rush down and arrest one person who climbed up the left side near the scaffolding. Later this was over taken by the crowd. 65/
This is the video of the crowd taking that left side. The cloud you see in the beginning was thrown by cops and could've been one of many flash bands or gas canisters. I do not recall. Both were used. 66/
More video of how many police are on the west side of capitol, folks climbing, and "stop the steal chants" 67/
Video of gas, flash bangs, and other uses of force on the right side from afar. Half way through you can hear person next to me talk about how there isn't much room on ledge. Threatens to make me get down if I do it again. 68/
Crowd of fash out here with alot of America first flags, yelling "traitors" to the police using force as they seige the capitol. 69/
Some sort of yellow smoke was throw down. I didn't see which side tossed it but things were coming from both sides. In one of these videos you here me talk about how the crowd brought thier own flash bangs. 70/
As the pepper spray was being deployed some of the trumpers came back to get thier eyes rinsed. They were using milk, not water, no coolers, and rubbing thier eyes. All the things not to do. 71/
Police launch a gas can not too far from us into a crowd of unprepared people while I have my gas mask on not feeling a thing. I take off into the crowd several times to recover spent munitions. 72/
Here is the beginning of the milk rinse. Unfortantly the flags made it hard to document. Never use milk it will curdle. 73/
