It Is Time for Police Accountability: #BlackLivesMatter DC Occupies the National Fraternal Order of Police

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Wednesday evening I went to visit with a friend in DC, and ended up at a Black Lives Matter protest. It is not the first time I have ended up at a protest in the name of friendship and love, but this protest I won't forget. It was not just peaceful; It was festive.

This is a short unedited video of #BlackLivesMatter protesters dancing as the sun goes down. 

#BlackLivesMatter DC occupied the National Fraternal Order of Police (#FOP) for approximately 17 hours, starting about 5am on Thursday and ending around 10pm. I came in around hour 14. The organizers ultimately decided to end the occupation with a party preceded by libations to the victims of (extra)legal brutality, including Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Amadou Diallo, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and many more. Black protesters were asked to stand behind a row of red cups laid out in the street.



Each of the cups had a name of a victim written in black permanent ink. Protesters were asked to #SayTheirName after pouring libations in their name into the cup. Protesters then drank the water. The tribute was very moving, and some protesters were brought to tears.




The first song played after the libations tribute was none other than Kendrick Lamar's "Alright" to which everybody got turnt up, including myself! Earlier in the day, I had been penning a narrative piece titled by the opening line of the song, "Alls My Life I Has To Fight", so the song was particularly salient in my mind.


The protest was particularly soothing for me, who has been steeped in grief, despair, and anger over the murders of #AltonSterling and #PhilandoCastile, and the murders of police in #Dallas and #BatonRouge by Black veterans. I came to Maryland this week, hoping to write my way through my feelings. But have been only partially successful, as I just cannot write fast enough to process all of my emotions.

Again, this was not my first #BlackLivesMatter protest. I have been to others in Atlanta, but this protest was different from other protests I have been to because it was very, very organized (e.g., permits were attained so that there could be a dj playing music loudly in the evening hours with no resistance from the police). Moreover, contrary to caricatures of the Black Lives Matter movement on the media, the protesters were peaceful and peace-loving. These emotions carried by the organizers, however, were striking for their paradoxes -- festive and solemn, peaceful and urgent. They reflected the paradoxes of the moment.

From what I could gather, the National #FOP was targeted as a private institution that protects cops who kill citizen and that obstructs legislation designed to bring accountability to cops who kill citizens. The choice of target and emotions struck by the organizers are both symbolic as the #BlackLivesMatter movement increasingly comes under attack regarding claims of inciting violence against the police. It was quite clear: #BlackLivesMatter DC does not condone violence against the police; the organization simply wants cops who kill citizens to be held accountable for their actions to both the citizenry and the state. 






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