Screenshot / YouTube
Washington D.C. families opened their homes to save protesters who were trapped by police during a peaceful demonstration.
On Monday evening, hundreds of police created a trap for the peaceful protesters on Swann Street NW, but residents opened their doors to friends and strangers alike as the police moved in. One man, Rahul Dubey, sheltered nearly 70 activists overnight so they would not be arrested during the curfew.
Flickr / Tony Webster
Just a few days after Donald Trump bunkered under the White House in fear of protesters, Mr. Dubey opened his doors and his home to welcome them. And after hosting them overnight, he has nothing but praise for his guests. “I hope that my 13-year-old son grows up to be just as amazing as they are,” Dubey told ABC News.
"I hope that my 13-year-old son grows up to be just as amazing as they are."
Rahul Dubey opened his home to nearly 70 strangers overnight and sheltered them during D.C.'s curfew. He says our country needs people like THEM.
FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/hucxiraHk9 pic.twitter.com/BKFMsTsSgk
— ABC 7 News - WJLA (@ABC7News) June 2, 2020
By all accounts, there were only peaceful protesters that police were trying to trap and arrest. “It was all just chants,” one of the protesters told Huffpost. But regardless of their orderly expression of their First Amendment rights, the protesters found police blocking them at every turn until they were eventually forced onto Swann Street.
“The moment we made that right onto the street, they kind of started charging us.”
Once Rahul Dubey’s impromptu guests were safe inside, the police tried to get them outside again, including firing tear gas into Mr. Dubey’s home. One of the protesters broadcast a video so that people on the outside would know there was no excuse for the police assault on the house.
a DC resident (and healthcare worker!!!) had tear gas shot through his window for allowing peaceful protesters to take refuge in his home. The news coverage said they broke in. #savejenny #swannstreet #ACAB pic.twitter.com/kzOAldOyUs
— Adobe™ (@adob_3) June 2, 2020
Flickr / Office of Public Affairs
Washington D.C. has its own police force, but prosecutions are handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office rather than an elected District Attorney. This means that William Barr is ultimately in charge of prosecuting those arrested as a result of this police “kettle.”
This was also the case for more than 200 protesters arrested at Trump’s inauguration, and while charges were ultimately dismissed against the majority of them, the prosecution hung over their heads for nearly six months. Aaron Cantú, one of the nine journalists among those arrested, told the New York Times it had been “a lot to be able to just hold it together and come to work and do the work.”
Now the Justice Department is ready to crack down on rioting, and the president is threatening to deploy the U. S. military to defend, “life, property, and…second amendment rights.” In the face of this dizzying and terrifying rhetoric, heroes like Rahul Dubey and other Washington D.C. families who opened their homes to save protesters are that much larger.
It’s past curfew and military police and troops stand ready to brutalize protestors. This is an occupation. #DCProtest pic.twitter.com/kLg5NU5xiU
— Raiya Al-Nsour (@raiya_alnsour) June 2, 2020
