Category Archives: Viva!

Police Trapped Dozens of Protesters. This Man Opened His Home and Saved Them From Arrest.

SwanStreetProtest06022020.jpg?w=1200&h=6

For more than eight hours last night, Rahul Dubey sheltered and fed nearly 70 strangers in his Washington, DC, home—preventing them from being arrested after police surrounded the group of peaceful protesters in his leafy residential neighborhood.

It was the seventh straight day of demonstrations around the country following the killing by police of George Floyd in Minneapolis. After a weekend of chaos and violence—which included police attacking protesters around the country—DC Mayor Muriel Bowser had announced a 7 p.m. curfew in the District Monday. But before the curfew went into effect, federal law enforcement tear-gassed and attacked largely peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square, just north of the White House, so that President Donald Trump could stroll to the nearby St. John’s Episcopal Church—which had been damaged by fire in the previous night’s protests—for a photo op with a Bible.

Afterward, a number of demonstrators continued protesting in violation of the curfew, as police in riot gear attempted to break them up. A group of protesters marched north and, by 9:20 p.m., police had surrounded them near Dabey’s house, a little more than a mile from the White House. Mother Jones’ Ali Breland, Stephanie Mencimer, and Will Peischel documented the scene:

A resident in Swann just let a tin of protesters run through their house to escape the cordon as cops started moving in yelling “move on back.” pic.twitter.com/m66QkIE8Cj

— Stephanie Mencimer (@smencimer) June 2, 2020

stand off on 15th and swann that’s getting tense. they have paddy wagons or whatever you call them set up pic.twitter.com/RDdawJiHk7

— Ali Breland (@alibreland) June 2, 2020

Protestors on the outside of the police line collecting the names of those being arrested, ostensibly to arrange bail. pic.twitter.com/d8qCShi1hm

— will peischel (@will_peischel) June 2, 2020

As police converged on the protesters on Dabey’s street, the 44-year-old businessman was sitting on his porch and quickly sprang into action, yelling for protesters to get inside his house. “It was a human tsunami,” he told the Washington Post. “I was hanging on my railing yelling, ‘Get in the house! Get in the house!” From about 9:30 p.m. until the District’s curfew expired at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, Dabey housed dozens of protesters, even feeding them pizza. The police, meanwhile, camped out in front of his home, waiting to arrest anyone who left. Here’s footage of the scene inside Dabey’s house, from the Twitter feed of one of the protesters he took in: 

They shot mace at peaceful protesters is a residential neighborhood. The man who took us in is named Rahul Dubey. He gave us business cards in case they try to say we broke in. pic.twitter.com/gKzmrvCa75

— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020

WE GOT PIZZA! pic.twitter.com/Y0pfaRHDHw

— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020

As the protesters left Dabey’s house Tuesday morning, they were greeted by a crowd of media and supporters, many of whom offered them rides home. Speaking with WJLA, DC’s ABC local affiliate, Dubey said that he hoped his 13-year-old son grows up to be like the demonstrators, adding that he hopes “they continue to fight and go out there peacefully today as they did yesterday and not blink because our country needs them…more than ever right now.”

Coronavirus: Hong Kong extends social-distancing curbs including gathering ban, compulsory quarantine as four new cases raise ‘super spreader’ fears | South China Morning Post

Two-week extension of ban against more than eight gathering in public, quarantine measures also continuing. Move comes after four more from Sha Tin housing estate confirmed as infected.
— Read on www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3087082/coronavirus-four-new-cases-same-housing-estate

Smithsonian Secretary on the Death of George Floyd | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine — Truth Troubles

This moment, says the Smithsonian secretary, should be the ‘impetus for our nation to address racism and social inequities in earnest’ Source: Smithsonian Secretary on the Death of George Floyd | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine

Smithsonian Secretary on the Death of George Floyd | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine — Truth Troubles

Joe Biden and Sen. Tammy Duckworth: Trump’s encouragement of racism against Asian Americans is an affront to all Americans — Truth Troubles

The American story as we know it would not exist without the strength of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Source: Joe Biden and Sen. Tammy Duckworth: Trump’s encouragement of racism against Asian Americans is an affront to all Americans

Joe Biden and Sen. Tammy Duckworth: Trump’s encouragement of racism against Asian Americans is an affront to all Americans — Truth Troubles

Bishop ‘outraged’ over Trump’s church photo op during George Floyd protests

4471.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=8

The Rev Mariann Budde says the institution aligns itself with those seeking justice for Floyd’s death

The Episcopal bishop of Washington DC has said she is “outraged” after officers used teargas to clear a crowd of peaceful protesters from near the White House to make way for Donald Trump.

Minutes after speaking in the Rose Garden about the importance of “law and order” to quell the unrest over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, Trump walked across the street to St John’s Episcopal church, where every American president since James Madison has worshipped.

Continue reading…

Trump’s job approval in Utah slides into negative territory | KUTV

President Donald Trump’s approval rating with Utah voters has once again fallen into negative territory, a new Y2 Analytics survey finds. The poll, conducted for UtahPolicy. com and KUTV 2News, shows that 52% of Utah voters “strongly” or “somewhat” disapprove of the job Trump is doing as president. 48% “strongly” or “somewhat” approve of the president. President Donald Trump’s approval rating with Utah voters has once again fallen into negative territory, a new Y2 Analytics survey finds.
— Read on kutv.com/news/local/trumps-job-approval-in-utah-slides-into-negative-territory