The D.C. Council on Dec. 2 extended the juvenile curfew implemented in November until April 2026 in an effort to reduce crime.

However, Navy Yard residents question whether this is a fair public safety measure or will further criminalize Washington, D.C.’s predominately Black and Brown youth—without addressing root causes.

After a large, chaotic fight on Halloween night, the D.C. Council implemented a juvenile curfew in that prohibited large groups of teens under 17 from gathering on the streets after 11:00pm.Ìı Just one month into the curfew, and amid further disturbances, council members voted 10-3 to extend the juvenile curfew until spring 2026.

While some residents praise the measure as a step towards increased public safety, others raise concerns about what this may mean for D.C. youth.

Michael Lewis, a Ward 6 resident and father of a 16-year-old daughter, said that just as deploying the National Guard was not about fighting crime, he’s wary of the curfew.

Brittney Gates, 38-year-old former federal employee who lives in the Navy Yard said, while some residents feel safter, she feels more unsafe by the growing police presence around the kids.

Federal employee Vonni K., who withheld her last name for privacy concerns, has a 17-year-old college son in D.C. She said she’s not as worried about him because he is less inclined to be out late.Ìı She said the curfew also deters the kids who are not out causing trouble since they don’t want the hassle of being stopped by police.

Mixed reactions from residents.

Lewis said he believes the extended curfew is a ploy by the administration to keep residents distracted from the real issues.Ìı He said they want everyone to talk about this issue and advance the narrative about crime in D.C., but he said the curfew alone won’t change it.

Gates concedes she is “genuinely torn� on the curfew issue. As a Navy Yard resident, she said people pay high prices to live in this neighborhood with an expectation of safety.

Gates said she doesn’t fear for her personal safety, but she has seen large groups of kids congregating around the neighborhood. Around the fourth of July she witnessed teens dangerously igniting fireworks near buildings.

She said it’s quieter since the curfew, but the city should focus on programs, jobs and spaces to keep kids productively occupied. If the city doesn’t address the root issues, Gate said, the curfew will be a temporary fix.

Vonni K. said three years ago, in the quiet of the pandemic, she may have had a different, perhaps more self-righteous opinion about the curfew. However, after seeing her son’s experience with crime in the city, she said she supports an extended curfew—and whatever it takes to combat crime.

She recounted how her college-age son and friends—all honor students—had to hide behind cars to avoid drive-by gunfire after a high school football game. Because of such incidents, school officials moved all sports events to the daytime to reduce late-night alterations.

“The gut check is that suddenly, when it’s your kid who comes home telling you about having to dive behind a car, it becomes much realer. What are we willing to do here to make this not happen again?�

As a federal worker, Vonni K. said she’s lived overseas in some dangerous places and has been evacuated three times because of civil unrest.Ìı She said her son was taken to school in armored vehicles, yet it wasn’t until he returned to the nation’s capital that he personally witnessed regular violence.

She recalled when he witnessed a fight at school in which a kid was pummeled to the ground and stabbed. She said considering the situations they experienced living overseas, she couldn’t imagine she would need to prepare him for the violence in Washington, D.C.

Vonni K. lamented the perceived absence of parental curfews and said that if parents had set curfews and boundaries in the home, the city wouldn’t have to.

“I am positive that the word ‘curfew’ does not exist in some houses, and it is the city that has introduced this word,� Vonni said that the curfew may represent the first real restriction some kids have faced.

Profiling is baked in.

According to the Juvenile Curfew Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, the Metropolitan Police chief can declare juvenile curfew areas where large youth gathering pose public safety risks.

Some residents said they were concerned about how the curfew would be declared and enforced and the potential for police to unfairly profile Black and Brown youth.

Taking a pragmatic approach, Vonni K. said, “They would have to profile, right? There is a profile baked in, and the profile is someone who appears to be under the age of 18, so there has to be some degree of profiling for police to apply it.�

Lewis, more wary of profiling, said the curfew is merely a means to target teens.

“I think it really sends a message to young people that they’re not wanted here—it’s a way to corral them and be able to profile them,� Lewis said. He said public trust has been eroded due to the deployment of National Guard and every measure to reduce crime should be met with elevated scrutiny.

Questioning the racial lines of enforcement between predominantly White institutions and historically Black universities, Vonni K. asked

“Would the young people from Georgetown and American University be treated the same as those from Howard University—I don’t know, I would sure hope so,� she said.

Gates, understanding that curfew implementation will lead to profiling, said, “I recognize that this disproportionately affects the Black community and our Black youth to be able to congregate in spaces.� Gates said the curfew would create a false sense of security in the community and disenfranchise the youth.

Vonni K., recounted an incident two years ago when an off-duty law enforcement officer shot a and killed a 13-year-old boy who tried to carjack him.Ìı She said the juvenile had been arrested several times prior, “These are the dire scenarios the city is up against.â€�

A safer D.C.

Residents remain united in need of a safer D.C.; they debate whether the curfew will reduce crime or criminalize youth.

Gates said kids are not outside as much in the winter, so she is cautious of statistics indicating incidents have decreased since the extended curfew was implemented.

Vonni K. said she’d like to see the data to understand how the curfew is affecting crime.Ìı She said if there is a better way to contain crime—she’s open, but for now, she supports the curfew to bring crime down.

“For folks who are, like, adamantly opposed— which I am in principle, but not in practice. What would you suggest?… Because what we’re doing so far is not working,â€� she said.

“But I think sometimes, you know, we forget that we were once kids too,� Gates said.

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Metro unveiled the new lockers Nov. 21, saying they would give cyclists cheaper and more secure options.

The lockers are part of Metro’s effort to make stations more accessible for riders arriving on foot, by bus, by car or by bike, said Jordan Pascale, media relations manager for WMATA. 

But even as cyclists embrace the new system, Pascale said Metro does not have a schedule for when additional stations will receive lockers.

In its Nov. 21 announcement, Metro said over the coming months it would install 450 bike lockers, 50 oversized lockers for cargo bikes, and 100 at 73 rail stations across the region. In addition, Metro said it would add 75 bike repair stations and 600 new u-racks to the stations. 

Pascale said the agency will update the table on its as new facilities come online through 2027, though he did not provide a detailed rollout timeline.

Cyclists can reserve lockers through the BikeLink app for five cents an hour, capped at $1 per day. Regular units fit standard bikes, while oversized lockers can accommodate larger cargo bikes. 

Riders end their rental by closing the locker door and confirming through the app.

The program is intended to give cyclists a safer and more secure option than outdoor racks, which many riders describe as vulnerable to theft.

“It definitely feels safer than locking my bike to a pole,� said Andrew Frank, a cyclist who uses the new locker at Foggy Bottom. “I’ve had my lock cut before. Paying a dollar to keep it secure all day is cheap.�

For riders at the two stations, the new lockers are useful but not without frustrations. 

Several cyclists at Foggy Bottom said the setup process — downloading the BikeLink app, creating an account and linking a credit card — felt inconvenient, especially in the cold.

“You can’t just walk up and use it right away,� said a cyclist who asked not to be named. “I had to stand here in the cold setting everything up, and it gets annoying.�

Others said the lockers are difficult to check without walking directly up to them.

“You have to stand right in front of it to see how many are free,� said Kelly Moll, a cyclist who uses the new locker at Foggy Bottom. “That feels a little silly.�

Moll said she expects usage to grow as more people learn about the system, but she questioned whether 10 lockers at each station would be enough.

“It’s new, so not many people are using it yet,� Moll said. “But 10 seems too few once it gets popular.�

Not everyone passing by saw the lockers as useful. One pedestrian said the program does not fit her habits and is unlikely to affect riders who do not bike.

“It doesn’t help me,� said Lauren Wilson, who usually rents scooters instead. “It’s a good idea, but if you don’t bike, it doesn’t change anything.�

The new system replaces Metro’s older annual-rental lockers, which cost about $120 a year and often required waitlists. The pay-as-you-go model is designed to give cyclists more flexibility and lower the cost for occasional riders.

For now, Foggy Bottom and Eastern Market will serve as early test sites for the new system. Until Metro releases a more detailed rollout schedule, riders say they are waiting to see how quickly the lockers spread to the rest of the network.

“I really hope more stations get lockers soon,� Frank said. “It would make biking to Metro a lot easier.�

The post Metro debuts new bike lockers at two stations, with more expected through 2027 first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.

Still, both parties are refusing to take the blame for the reasons behind the 36-day shutdown. Democratic leaders say the election day victories are a sign to hold their ground. Republicans say blue wins in blue states are not a reason to cave.

House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said at a press conference Wednesday that he hopes the elections are a “wake-up callâ€� for Republicans. Schumer said Democrats may have won the battle, but they have to keep fighting to win the war. 

“Americans have been feeling the real-world repercussions of Trump’s policies for months,” said Schumer, who Wednesday sent a letter asking President Trump to meet with party leaders.

Voters “know that Democrats are fighting for them and Republicans are doing nothing … Last night, Republicans felt the political repercussions.â€�

Bipartisan Stalemate

The shutdown has persisted because Democrats and Republicans cannot find a middle ground on health care tax credits, which makes insurance cheaper for millions of Americans. Those subsidies are set to expire Dec. 31.

Democrats have refused to reopen the government until Republicans agree to extend the tax credits.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans have always been willing to talk about making health care more affordable, but have been reluctant to do so during the shutdown because they want to reopen the government before negotiating.  

Republicans have been reluctant to do so during the shutdown because they want to reopen the government before dialogue continues, he said.

“It was in no way necessary or appropriate to shut down the government in order to have bipartisan discussions about the subsidies,� Johnson said.

Mayoral Milestone in New York

In New York City, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani beat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor-elect, and its youngest in over a century. 

Mamdani, who calls himself a democratic socialist, started his campaign relatively unknown last year before surging to victory Tuesday against Cuomo. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,called Mamdani’s win “one of the greatest political upsets in modern American history.â€� 

Sanders said Mamdani not only took on oligarchs, President Trump and Republicans in the election, but also the Democratic establishment.  

“If you have an agenda that speaks for the working class in this country, if you are prepared to take on the oligarchs — explain to people that it’s unacceptable that the very rich become much richer while working families can’t even afford groceries or their rent — and if you put together a grassroots movement you can in fact win,â€� Sanders said.

Speaker Johnson called Mamdani an “avowed, openly proclaimed Socialist� at a press conference Wednesday. He said Mamdani’s win signifies a shift toward socialism in the Democratic Party.

“Mamdani is without a doubt the biggest win for socialism in the history of the country, and it is the biggest loss for the American people,� Johnson said.

Alejandro Medina, a marketer who splits his time between New York and Virginia, said he feels more comfortable living in Virginia now because of the election results, which flipped the governorship to Democrat.

Medina is an immigrant from Mexico who cannot vote because he is not a U.S. citizen.

“I have to allow people to vote on my behalf,� he said.

Electoral sweep in Virginia

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said Democrats are “playing politicsâ€� with the lives of Americans during the shutdown. Republicans currently have a majority in both the House and Senate, as well as control of the White House. 

The Democratic sweep of Tuesday’s elections presents a new mainstream for the party, he said. 

“From a Communist mayor in New York City to a Virginia Attorney General who said he wanted to murder his political opponent. Pro-terrorist Marxist radicals are now the left’s mainstream,� Emmer said.

In Virginia, Democrats won the races for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General in one fell swoop. 

D.C. Tour Guide Lori Cohen, said she wasn’t surprised that Democrats won the state elections, with the exception of Attorney General-elect Jay Jones. 

On the campaign trail, Jones sent text messages about shooting his political rival, then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, to a Republican state delegate. Jones had apologized but stayed in the race.

Cohen said she wasn’t too pleased with the messages.

“I almost didn’t vote for him, but I didn’t want to continue Trump policies for attorney general, so I voted for him, and I kind of held my nose while doing it,� she said.

She said she voted Democrat because she disapproved of the shutdown and recent policy decisions by Trump. She said that she believes other democrats voted for similar reasons.

“There’s no end to the things to hate about Donald Trump,� she said.

Eric, a federal employee and Republican, who did not want his full name used, also said he was surprised by the election of Jones.

Jones “wanted to shoot his opponent twice and murder his children. I find that kind of extreme,â€� Eric said.

Eric is a Maryland resident, but he says he would have voted for Winsome Earle-Spears if he could have participated in the Virginia elections.

“I’m a Republican and she’s a Republican. I kind of go for the underdog,â€� he said.

Blue voted blue

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, said the recent elections do not represent most Americans’ view of Republicans’ performance during the shutdown. Many of the states that saw Democratic wins Tuesday voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

“Is it any surprise that last night, blue states voted blue? We’re talking Virginia, New Jersey, New York,� Scalise said. “By the way, none of those were swing states.�

Pam Henkins, a retired federal employee who voted in the Virginia election, said that the federal shutdown was one of many factors that motivated her decision. 

Her husband is one of the federal employees furloughed as part of the shutdown, though he still works for the DOJ. The government has furloughed about 670,000 employees, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

“I feel like this president is lawless,” Henkins said, “and I relied on the Supreme Court to institute the structure and uphold Congress’s authority and that’s just gone dead.â€�

Scalise said Republicans have worked with President Trump to deliver results on issues, like lowering taxes and securing the southern border.

But Ed Markey, D-Mass., said the elections are a clear call from voters for Republicans to come to the table and negotiate to end the shutdown. He said Trump has given himself “king-like powerâ€� and enacted economic policy that is illegal and destructive. 

“President Trump is taxing food, and toys, and clothing and even tea … the last time there was a tax on tea there was a revolution in Boston,â€� Markey said. 

The post Democratic wins deepen divisions on shutdown first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.

With rallies and events planned until the end of the year, organizersÌıare building stronger coalitionsÌıand amping up urgency inÌıD.C.’s fight forÌıself-governance.  Ìı

Just asÌıFree DC, a grassroots movement that supports local self-determination,Ìımobilized residentsÌıfor theÌı“Pack the Courtâ€� demonstrationÌıat the Oct. 24 hearing,Ìıthe group’s leadersÌıare training, protesting,ÌıbuildingÌıresistance movements andÌıstrategic coalitions across state lines to underscore the urgency of local autonomyÌıand D.C.’s tumultuous roadÌıto self-governance. Ìı

Free DCÌıExecutive Director Keya ChatterjeeÌısaidÌıthe increasing consolidation of power and systemic erosion of democratic normsÌıhas the country making a democratic U-turn.Ìı

“The U.S. isÌıaÌıbacksliding democracy transitioning to a competitive authoritarian state,â€�ÌıChatterjeeÌısaid.Ìı

With aÌıfive-year campaignÌıstrategyÌıfor self-rule, Chatterjee saidÌıthe goal is to be strategic in every cycle of attack from this administration.ÌıÌı

She characterized economic attacks, mass firings, National Guard deployment, local funding freezes, and legislative attacks as some examples of irreparable harm the federal government is causing residents. ÌıÌı

Chatterjee said,Ìıwith every attack on rights and freedoms,ÌıFree DCÌıgets stronger—growingÌıat double the speed thanÌıinÌıyears past—toÌıbuild unity,ÌıÌı

“Every effective movement is unified,â€�ÌıChatterjee said.Ìı

Admitting she is clear-eyed about the challenges, Chatterjee said they have a 7.5% chance of success relying on the traditional electoral process, but by building a unified civil resistance movement, organizers believe they can increase the odds to about 50/50.Ìı

“Our end goal is to have equal representation under the law for the people of D.C.,� she said.

Pack the CourtÌıProtestÌı

Free DC organizersÌısay they haveÌıa sense of urgency, not seen before,Ìıas they describe a democracy that is slipping away to authoritarian rule. Ìı

Packing the U.S. District Courthouse with D.C. residents was just one of the many protests Free DC said they have planned to express the importance of the moment and the commitment to sustained activism. 

The courthouse protest started as a short walk from Constitution Avenue and rallied in front of the U.S. District Court, where they sang songs, chanted and eventually lined up to enter the court hearing.Ìı

Capitol Hill resident Randy Martin said Washingtonians are not accepting this situation, calling it “crazyâ€� and adding that people will continue to show up. Ìı

Katie Henke, a Hill East resident who works in international development, said she has worked in authoritarian countries in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe and the military presence on D.C. streets reminded her of those regimes. Ìı

 “I don’t want to see that in our country, and so I want to stand up for my neighbors,â€� Henke said. Ìı

The legal battle in the courthouse Ìı

Inside the courtroom,ÌıinÌı,ÌıD.C.ÌıAttorney General Brian SchwalbÌı thatÌıthe deploymentÌıof the National GuardÌıundermined the District’s right to self-govern. He equated the deployment to an illegal occupation that is harmful to the city and its residents.  Ìı

Schwalb said that the troops were not trained to do the job of law enforcement and made residents less safe. Ìı

“Today we again made clear: the U.S. military should not be policing American citizens on American soil,â€� Schwalb said after the hearing. “It does not make us safer to have out-of-state military—many of whom are not from here and do not know our communities—policing our streets, driving military vehicles, armed with rifles and carrying handcuffs.â€� Ìı

Linda Alexander, a protester who sat through the hearings, said she wanted to be fair and hear both sides.  Alexander said even though she felt safer in Ward 7 since the deployment of troops, she recognized that it’s time for them to go home and spend time with their family. Ìı

Eric Hamilton, an attorney representing the Trump administration, argued that the case should be dismissed since the president has broad authorities. Ìı

D.C. is a municipal corporation with limitedÌıauthority,ÌıHamiltonÌısaid,ÌıcriticizingÌıtheÌıattorney generalÌıfor not aligning with the president’s position.ÌıÌı

Accusing Schwalb of political posturing, Hamilton said, “D.C. is not a state, however much the attorney general wants to pretend it is, and he is doing damage to the District.â€� Ìı

ÌıJudge JiaÌıM.ÌıCobbÌıis expected to make a rulingÌılater this year.Ìı

ÌıThe voices of the movement Ìı

ÌıLaw student Byron Brooks said he came to the hearing to see how the process unfolds. Ìı

“We’re in an unprecedented time of democracy, or dictatorship, depending how it’s viewed.  So, today’s case will definitely set the precedence on where we are headed as a nation,â€� Brooks said.Ìı

Matt Gordon said he saw the issue as a constitutional crisis. He said, as a veteran who has served his country, he sees the deployment as an illegal abuse of power.  Ìı

Henke described the impact on her neighbors: “Poor kids are going to and from school, passing these guards with rifles bigger than their torsos. It’s disgusting. This is what you see in authoritarian countries, and I don’t want to see that in ours.â€� Ìı

“This is a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act,â€� said Gordon, a self-described angry veteran. “It’s one step closer towards an authoritarian takeover of this country.â€�  Ìı

The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits the use of military for domestic law enforcement, with a few exceptions, such as protecting federal property and quelling domestic violence. Ìı

After the hearing 

At a press briefing following the hearing, Schwalb said, “When this lawsuit was filed several weeks ago, I said it was D.C. today. It was going to be other cities shortly. In fact, that is exactly what has happened. This is fundamentally un-American.â€� Ìı

During the press briefing, Henke chanted and heckled Hamilton while holding a Free DC sign prominently in the backdrop. Chants echoed off the courthouse to disrupt Hamilton’s briefing, as he referred to protestors as a “woke mob.�

Hamilton sparred with disruptive protestors but was ultimately drowned out by chanting and walked away. Ìı

°Â³ó²¹³Ù’s a³ó±ğ²¹»å Ìı

The intensity and frequency ofÌıFree DCÌıactivitiesÌıhaveÌısurged, partnering with Virginia and Maryland affiliates to build local momentum for self-governance.  Ìı

ChatterjeeÌısaid that, sinceÌıD.C.ÌılacksÌırepresentation,ÌıFree DCÌımust reach out to states to build political pressure and create a network of resistance.Ìı

Chatterjee said she wants the local D.C. government to stop complying with federal demands and legitimizing illegal actions that harm D.C. residents. ÌıShe said D.C. local government must be on “Team Democracyâ€� and prioritize protecting the community over appeasing the regime.Ìı

“When you give an authoritarian regime what they want, they just take more,â€�ÌıChatterjee said.Ìı

With events planned in each ward, every month until the end of the year, organizers are conducting extensive and sustained training programs and building coalitions for mass non-cooperation strategies to fundamentally reimagine democracy in the nation’s capital.Ìı

“Whether it takes ten months or ten years, we must be absolutely resolute in our fight,� said Rig, who used the moniker U.S. Army Overlord.

“As the government wants to escalate its attacks against the District of Columbia, we will clearly have to take more measures to withhold our support,� Henke said.

The resistance continues and prioritizes joy, community resilience, non-violent strategies, and alternative support systems as the way forward, Chatterjee said. Ìı

“There’s no oppressed people in the history of the world that have ever succeeded without joy,â€�Ìıshe said.Ìı

“Justice looks like the military being off our streets and one step closer toward statehood,” Gordon said.Ìı

The post Beyond ‘Packing the Courthouse’: D.C.’s long road to self-governance  first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.

According to more than 200,000 demonstrators gathered near the U.S. Capitol for the second “No Kings� rally of the year around noon on Oct. 18, one of more than 2,700 protests nationwide.

also said about 7 million people across the country participated in the lawful, nonviolent No Kings Day, 2 million more than the first round in June. At rallies across the country, participants carried signs and chanted messages asserting that the nation belongs to its people, not to a president who acts like a king.

Delonte Gholston, a pastor at Peace Fellowship Church in Northeast D.C., asked: “Who will not bow to a kind of religion that wants to be close to power but won’t empower anybody else?â€� The question marked the official start of the rally.

Participants held signs on immigration, liberty, the Constitution, LGBTQ rights, health care and anti-fascism. But all called for the same thing: No Kings. That included a demand to remove and impeach Trump. Protesters said that, since his second term began, Trump has ruled over the nation like a monarch, a role that has not existed in the United States since 1776.

As the first politician to take the stage, longtime Trump critic Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said the United States was facing a real threat to democracy. No outside force would save the people, he warned, because protecting democracy depends only on the people themselves.

He said Trump had attempted to undermine free speech, fair elections, independent media, and the right to peaceful protest. But the people, Murphy said, could still unite, draw moral lines, uphold the Constitution, and defend the 250-year experiment of self-government, a democracy without kings.

“I’m optimistic, maybe even foolishly so, about our ability to win this fight, because 400 years ago, in the small but mighty state of Connecticut, we wrote down a simple idea: In America, the people rule. In America, there are no kings,� Murphy said, emphasizing the link between the Constitution and his home state.

As the broadcaster Mehdi Hasan took the stage, the crowd laughed at his sharp wit. He mocked Trump’s behavior with humor and irony, saying he was “everything Donald Trump loves� because he is a journalist, an immigrant, and a Muslim.

He pointed out that Trump himself is the son, grandson, husband and ex-husband of immigrants, emphasizing the value of immigration and joking that immigrants “will do the jobs even Americans won’t do.�

Behind and in front of the stage, several small groups formed around speakers, moving their bodies to the rhythm of dance music. They waved flags and signs and wore all kinds of outfits: some wore American flags as capes, some dressed as Spider-Man, others holding colorful umbrellas.

Voices from the crowd

During the rally, Julian C., a Maryland resident who requested anonymity, stood for hours on top of the U.S. Department of Labor building waving a Mexican flag in support of Latino immigrants.

“We don’t accept the ICE raids happening around the country solely because of people’s skin color or nationality,� Julian said. “I’m trying to spread the message that there should be more representation of Latino people and other immigrants in the streets.�

Ten-year-old Jacqueline Hill-Bowling joined the protest with her mother. Though young, she was already experienced and noticed there were “a lot more people than [her] last protest.�

Hill-Bowling said one main reason for the protests was that due process was “messed up.�

“I learned that due process is the process in which all Americans or anyone, even immigrants, which apparently Trump doesn’t agree with, get to defend themselves,� she said. “It’s like a trial, but some people don’t get one, and it’s unfair, and I’m pretty sure it’s illegal.�

Protests began before the rally

The No Kings rally was scheduled to start at noon, but volunteers had been setting up since early morning, laying cables and placing barriers.

Rows of police officers on bicycles stood by, and snipers were seen on the roof of the National Gallery of Art, ready for emergencies. Police said afterward that no one had been detained.

But the demonstrations had already begun two miles away in the U Street Corridor.

The feeder march “Remove the Regime,� led by grassroots political groups like 50501DC, DC Against Trump, and Refuse Fascism, began around 9 a.m.

The march looked like a modest-sized crowd at first, but within an hour it swelled, becoming few blocks long.

Lelaina Brandt, cofounder of the veterans’ group “Remember Your Oath,� which joined the march from the beginning, said she appreciated people showing up but felt discouraged that many treated it as just a fun day out instead of acting every day, because the rise of authoritarianism and fascism in the country is urgent.

“This has been a 40-year plan by groups like the Heritage Foundation to usher authoritarianism and fascism into our country,� she said. “We can focus on Trump, but the work won’t be over when he’s gone. We must keep standing up until fascism is crushed once and for all in this country.�

Warming up at the Lincoln Memorial.

The rally’s energy built on earlier events Friday afternoon, when organizers began delivering speeches at 3 p.m. to prepare for the weekend.

The most eye-catching was a protest organized by the Backbone Campaign, where activists wore oversized caricature heads of Trump and his three allies Stephen Miller, JD Vance and Kristi Noem.

Dressed in prison stripes, the four embodied what many Americans already assume — partners in crime, chained by accountability.

Bill Moyer, the group’s executive director, said, “These people deserve to be ridiculed, and it’s our job, as citizens, to ridicule tyrants.�

The protest never stopped

The No Kings rally in D.C. ended around 3 p.m., but demonstrators didn’t stop there.

FLARE, a grassroots political group that camped at Union Station Plaza, prepared to continue into the evening with another protest in Arlington, outside the home of Russell Vought, a key architect of Project 2025, to denounce him as one of Trump’s technocrats.

On Saturday night, Trump posted an AI-generated on Truth Social showing himself flying jets, wearing a crown, and dropping waste on protesters.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who earlier this month described the rally as “,� said at a Monday press conference that Trump “is using satire to make a point.�

“The president uses social media to make the point,� he said. “You could argue he’s probably the most effective person who’s ever used social media for that purpose.�

Matt Gordon, another co-founder of “Remember Your Oath,� disagreed with Johnson.

“He doesn’t care about unifying a nation. He cares about humiliating those he thinks are his enemies,� Gordonsaid. “He’ll do that by creating ridiculous AI videos of himself stomping on people protesting him in the streets.�

Gordon also said the next wave of “Remove the Regime� march begins on Nov. 5.

The post “We will not cooperate!â€� Washington says ‘No Kings’ again to Donald Trump first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.

Once threatened by development, the club’s recent historic designation now offers it protection and potential partnerships as the 11th Street Bridge Park and the reimagined Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium development transforms the Anacostia waterfront.Ìı

In a prime, almost hidden corner of Boathouse Row, Seafarers was founded by mariner and educator Lewis Thomas Green in 1945 with the support of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. ÌıAt a time when boat clubs were exclusively “white-only,â€� Seafarers stood as a haven for Black boaters and a symbol of resilience. Ìı

“It’s not about nostalgia. It’s about protecting what still serves the people,� said Roger Legerwood, Seafarers Yacht Club historian and 30-year member.

Historical designation offers legal protectionsÌı

Seafarers gained its historic designation in 2022, sponsored by the D.C. Office of Planning—shepherding in new protections against emerging developments.Ìı

“We’re not scared, we’re historic. We’re in partnership with the D.C. government,â€� said Seafarers Yacht Club Commodore Tony Ford. Ìı

Seafarers falls within Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal projects to assess and mitigate adverse effects on historic properties. Ìı Ìı

“If the review identifies potential adverse effects, the parties will coordinate to resolve them,â€� the D.C. Office of Planning said.Ìı

Legerwood began documenting the history of the club about 25 years ago, almost by accident. ÌıHe said he found the history fascinating, and his chronicled account eventually became the basis for filing historic preservation.Ìı

“They just can’t run through here without checking,â€� Legerwood said. “When we see or hear of threats, we look at it as an opportunity to engage.â€� Ìı

The designation opens new doors for grant funding and restoration support. Seafarers partnered with the 11th Street Bridge Park team—the project to transform the abandoned 11th Street Bridge piers into a state-of-the-art park—to ensure the club’s legacy is cemented in the future of the waterfront. ÌıÌı

“Connecting to the river has always been one of our key goals,â€� said Scott Kratz, director of the Bridge Park project.Ìı “Seafarers started the Anacostia River Cleanup in 1985.Ìı They’ve been critical to restoring and healing the river.â€�Ìı

Kratz’s team secured a U.S. Coast Guard permit to maintain the navigational envelope—increasing visibility for organizations like Seafarers. ÌıThe new park will include an environmental education center, which could feature Seafarers’ history and community programming. ÌıÌı

Ford, who has led the club for seven years, said he views the Bridge Park partnership as a model for respectful collaboration. Ìı

“We’re already partners,â€� Ford said. “We offer free boat rides during cherry blossom week and talk about the history. ÌıIt’s not adversarial; it’s community.â€�Ìı

Ford is less certain about the RFK Stadium development, a $3-billion project expected to generate thousands of jobs and billions in tax revenue. Ìı

“We haven’t had a mutually respectful conversation with those developers,â€� Ford said. The club’s relationship is only through the mayor’s office, he said.Ìı

Over the years, Ford said developers have used intimidation tactics. In one case, Ford said a developer sent an email alluding that Seafarer would sell its property before even having a conversation. Ford said he is used to the tactics—and some have already begun.

“Forming, storming, norming and performing, that’s how we figure out where we fit in,â€� Ford said. He added this is a teambuilding process that goes through different stages to understand their relationship and roles in the development projects.Ìı

Despite concerns, Ford said he remains optimistic.ÌıÌı

“We are the oldest African American boat club in the country—not DC—in the country,â€� Ford said. Ìı

Seafarers started the Anacostia River clean up, and we will continue to do what serves the community, Ford said.Ìı

It’s about the communityÌı

For longtime D.C. resident and recreational fisherman Derick Jones, this is personal.Ìı Fishing on the Anacostia River for over 20 years, Jones acknowledged that the RFK development is good for the city.ÌıÌıÌı

“I hope they don’t mess it up—a lot of young brothers come here to fish instead of getting in trouble,â€� Jones said.Ìı

Jones urged developers to protect community spaces.ÌıÌı

“This is my fishing spot,â€� Jones said while laughing. “This is my peace of mind.â€� Ìı

Seafarers Business Manager Captain Anthony Hood echoed the sentiment.Ìı

“We are a working club. Members bring their skills—woodwork, law, electrical—to keep things going.â€� ÌıÌı

Hood joined the club in 2020 after his wife passed. He said she always had encouraged him to buy a boat. ÌıÌı

“It has occupied my time and helped me heal—now I’m part of something bigger,â€� Hood said.Ìı

As the business manager for Seafarers, Hood focuses on infrastructure and restoration efforts. ÌıPartnered with Anacostia Riverkeeper and the Council of Governments, Seafarer received a grant to remove abandoned boats as part of an initiative for cleaner waterways, Hood said.Ìı

With work-in-progress projects all around the club, Hood said the infrastructure needs attention. ÌıMembers are replacing old dock woods themselves, but with development funds, Hood said. Ìı

“We could rebuild the docks, the rail system and even the clubhouse,â€� Hood said.Ìı

Legerwood said the club wants to amplify Seafarers’ legacy and make boating more affordable and inclusive. Ìı

“Inclusivity was our original mission,â€� Legerwood said. “Mr. Green built boats by hand but couldn’t find a place to dock because of his race—that’s why this place exist.â€�Ìı

The D.C. Preservation League, which maintains the city’s historic inventory, said it added Seafarers to its public database after the designation and is now part of the public record. Ìı

D.C. Preservation League said, “That visibility matters.â€� Ìı

“We’re not just a boating club.â€� said Legerwood. “We’re a living archive of Black maritime history.â€�Ìı

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What was the groove? “,� a go-go style, funk track rooted in the D.C. sound. The song, which will serve as the official anthem of the 11th Street Bridge Park, was released Oct. 5 at the Go-Go Museum.

The 11^th Street Bridge Park, a transformational elevated bridge park development, held its song release party to celebrate development and determination—honoring the city’s past and future.

The song was written by D.C.’s own grammy-nominated artist Raheem DeVaughn, produced by the famed Lorenzo Johnson aka Zo Smooth and co-produced by go-go legend, Salih Williams, better known by his stage name Bootsy Vegas, brings local rhythms interwoven with community spirit.

Devaughn and Williams said they took on this project because it was more than just a musical endeavor; it was a community driven initiative to create positive change and celebrate D.C.’s rich cultural history.

“Through music, we can communicate,� Williams said, “There’s a lack of historical understanding about a lot of these projects.�

A bridge like no other.

Thirteen years in the making, the project is now fully funded, is expected to break ground in spring of 2026 and launch in 2028.

A collaboration between the D.C. government and Building Bridges Across the River non-profit, Bridge Park strives to be the model for equitable development—strategically focused on housing, the arts, workforce and small business development.

Scott Kratz, the president and CEO of Building Bridges Across the River, said Bridge Park is a different kind of project.

“We’ve learned from projects of the past where residents have been displaced,� Kratz said. Gentrification, emblematic of D.C. evolving neighborhoods, has long plagued well-intentioned projects across the District.

“We had to be intentional about this work,� Kratz said. “It would have been easy to say, gentrification is a serious issue, but that’s not our job—we’re building a park.�

Kratz said before engaging a single designer, Bridge Park spent two years talking to residents, asking, “What did they think about transforming an old freeway into a park?�

The inclusive, community-led development will be the first of its kind—transforming the old, abandoned 11^th Street Bridge piers into a cutting-edge, elevated park. The vision is to create a community space that integrates historically disenfranchised neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River and the surrounding communities.

The Bridge Park will include playgrounds, urban agriculture, an Environmental Education Center and a 250-seat outdoor River Amphitheater.

Lovail Long, a Ward 8 resident and owner of DC Black Broadway, said, “This project means everything to me.�

Long, who produces stage plays and musicals, said the amphitheater will offer a space where he’ll be able to perform live for the community. Like his fond childhood memories of performances in Anacostia Park, Long said he and his wife wants to create memories through arts and music for a new generation of children.

Kratz said intentional development puts the community at the center.Ìı Building Bridges has invested more than $100 million in the community—more than needed to build the park.Ìı Through community-based initiatives like Homebuyer’s Club, 182 Ward 8 renters became homeowners and Bridge Park has secured 230 units of permanently affordable housing.

Bridge Park even worked with local artists and the community to create the anthem song befitting of this visionary park.

And the go-go beat goes on.

The percussion-driven go-go anthem was commissioned and curated by Ronald Moten, co-founder of the Go-Go Museum, along with Bridge Park leaders to symbolize the partnership between the Bridge Park development and the community.

Natalie Hopkinson, co-founder and chief curator of the Go-Go Museum and professor at American University, said, “go-go music is the official music of the D.C., codified in legislation,� so elevating the music is only natural.

Just as Moten cofounded the museum to preserve the culture and history of his beloved go-go music, he said he partnered with the 11^th Street Bridge Park because of its community-led, community-driven approach.

Through the loud, reverberating music, Moten said, “We started differently from most museums—most opened with an endowment—we opened with no money and people banging on the door asking us why aren’t you open,� noting parallels to the Bridge Park grassroots development approach.

DeVaughn, host of “The Original Quiet Storm,� the number one night-time show in D.C., said creating the anthem was a passion project to help the community and elevate go-go music.

After being “schooled� on the historical context of the bridge and learning enslaved people walked the original 11 Street Bridge every day, he said the project resonated with is lifelong commitment to the music and community.

DeVaughn said he views the song and performance as a way to bridge gaps and support black-owned businesses and create a platform that celebrates go-go—the heartbeat of D.C.

“Most importantly, we’re about having a footprint in the community and being of service,� DeVaughn said.

A former co-host of the famed Donnie Simpson Show, Williams said he came to “perform with a purpose.� Co-producing the song not only honors go-go pioneer Chuck Brown’s legacy, Williams said, “it brings people together who might not have been checking for go-go but left with an appreciation.�

In addition to creating music, Williams now dedicates his time to teaching kids broadcast journalism. He said he partnered with the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation to teach journalism and provide scholarships to high school students in Ward 7 and 8.

Williams said creating the Bridge Park anthem with Johnson and DeVaughn was a natural extension of his work supporting his community where he was born, raised and still lives.

It’s about the community.

“A community on the river,� Kratz said. “Many people in the community have never been out on boats.�

Building Bridges works with local boating organizations like Seafarer’s Yacht Club and Anacostia Boathouse Association to connect the community with the Anacostia River.Ìı Bridge Park partners to offer free boat rides and to give community members an opportunity to kayak and canoe along the river.

D.C. transplant and American University Alum Jayra Collier’s employer Plum Good has been a Bridge Park sponsor for eight years.Ìı Collier said through its partnership, Park Bridge has promoted its teas, spices and sauces.

Collier said she hopes other transplants like herself will get to see “The real D.C.,� to promote local businesses and have a space to enjoy and rest.

Residents living along the Anacostia River deserve a waterfront just as beautiful as the residents of Georgetown,� Kratz said.

The song release party symbolizes a celebratory reflection of where the project started. Kratz said, “Long term residents who’ve been here through some of the challenging times, through the disinvestment, can be here for the good times.â€�

Much like D.C.’s syncopated go-go music, the future of the Anacostia community history must be preserved, said Dr. Deborah Evans, board member of the Go-Go Museum.

“Progress is good, but we have to maintain the history of the community.�

The post “Take it to the Bridgeâ€�: Go-go song release party celebrates 11th Street Bridge Park first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.

“I never wanted to be an activist,� Widakuswara said Friday at American University. She and Jessica Jerreat, Press Freedom editor at the VOA, are two of the plaintiffs in the case seeking to keep the VOA’s funding.

On Friday the two spoke about press freedom, censorship, and their ongoing case against the Trump administration at American University as part of the Centennial Speaker Series, hosted by The Eagle. The School of Communication’s Associate Journalism Division Director, Terry Bryant, moderated the discussion. The lawsuit, Widakuswara v. Lake, is awaiting further action from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Judge Royce Lamberth issued an injunction to restore employees and contractors to their positions, which the government is fighting.

The lawsuit is being brought by Widakuswara and six other journalists, as well as Reporters Without Borders, and a group of unions representing federal workers. A second suit by the director of the VOA was filed five days later. Both challenge the authority of the executive to unilaterally fire all the agencies’ workers and contractors without approval of the U.S. Agency for Global Media Board of Directors. The board had been previously disbanded by the president. So far, the courts have issued injunctions, delaying administration actions, stating that the government failed to ‘provide a single sentence of explanation for the colossal changes that have occurred at USAGM since March 15, 2025’.

The US Agency for Global Media is the parent company of not just VOA, but also Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Middle East Broadcasting Network, and the Open Technology Fund. The networks boast a combined reach of 427 million listeners worldwide in 64 languages.

That was in February. Today, the agency has gone from over 3700 articles and almost 2400 broadcast hours per week down to just 108 articles and 7.5 broadcast hours in 4 languages.

Friday’s conversation was a plea for support. As the September 30 deadline approaches, there is no clear answer on what happens next, and the stakes are high. Numerous diplomats and former VOA employees say that the loss of the broadcaster is a win for America’s adversaries. The Trump administration describes the broadcaster as a propaganda arm of the Democratic party.

The VOA is a unique organization within the federal government. It began as a CIA project to project American ideals throughout the world. It was later transferred to the State Department, which is where the Trump administration intends for it to return. The VOA charter, which was established in the 1994 International Broadcasting Act, ensures by law that the organization remains neutral in the context of American politics, and stands immune to coercion by any party or politician. It’s this ‘firewall’ that Widakuswara and Jerreat are trying to uphold.

According to the Trump administration, the VOA has strayed from that mission.

Widakuswara, the former White House Bureau chief for the VOA, pressed the Prime Minister of Ireland in a March 13 press conference about the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. President Trump responded by asking, “Who are you with?” Soon after, VOA advocates say the administration launched a targeted campaign against the agency. Through the combined efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency, the CEO of USAGM, Kathy Lake, VOA’s parent company, and a March 15 Executive Order, the agency has been hollowed out.

In an article released by the White House the following day, titled ‘The Voice of Radical America’, the administration highlighted . The order, the statement said, ensures ‘that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda’.

The agency has faced accusations of bias and pressure from other administrations and news outlets in the past. In 2001, the agency received pushback from the Bush administration over their intent to broadcast a phone call from a known terrorist after the 9/11 terror attacks.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative leaning think tank responsible for ‘Project 2025’, a conservative playbook for Trump’s second term, wrote in 2020 that ‘New leadership is exactly what Voice of America needs’. The article also accused the organization of liberal bias.

During the Biden administration, The National Review made claims of pro-Islamic bias when VOA journalists were instructed not to call Hamas a terrorist group unless quoting statements. In 2022, the agency was also sued by the conservative American Accountability Foundation for what they called, ‘Pro-Islamic bias in its’ Persian reporting’.

Jerreat and Widakuswara rejected accusations of bias in Friday’s conversation.

“Our journalism stands for itself,â€� Jerreat said. “We know the parameters of our beats, we’re not critical. We’re factual, and try to keep the stronger emotions out of our work.â€�

Jerreat said images of Tiananmen Square drove her to be a journalist with a focus on press freedom. She believes Trump is exhibiting the same authoritarian tactics she has studied for years. “I have the privilege to stand up and do this for my colleagues who don’t have that space,” she said.

“I don’t think about it,” Widakuswara said, when asked about the future. “I just try to take it one day at a time. I still have to feed my family.â€�

Instead, she thinks about the employees they are fighting to protect, many of whom may be forced to return to oppressive regimes if they are not able to keep their visas. She also thinks about her son, a high school senior.

“I want my son to live in a democracy. This is me doing my part to defend that,� she said.

The post Ahead of looming shutdown, VOA fights to be heard first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.

Initially deployed to combat crime, the National Guard is now turning to advisory neighborhood commissions seeking a community to-do list; not everyone is on board.

Picking up trash is not the reason they came to D.C., but it’s now part of the Guard’s new mission.

With crime in D.C. at a 30-year low, President Trump in August declared a crime emergency invoking the Home Rule Act to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department and activate the National Guard from D.C. and six Republican-led states.Ìı Just weeks into the deployment, the National Guard is seeking beautification projects across the city—a move that has sparked mixed reactions from caution to collaboration.Ìı Leaders and residents are divided on whether to collaborate or stand firm on the Guard’s departure.

“If you want people to do beautification projects, why not rehire the people that were just fired from the National Park Service,� Adams said.

A shift in direction happened Sept. 8 when D.C. National Guard Director Marcus Hunt sent a District-wide letter to advisory neighborhood commissioners “requesting help identifying projects on neighborhood beautification efforts.�

Hunt, a native Washingtonian and Ward 8 resident, appealed to commissioners with a sense of partnership and urged leaders to work “alongside� the National Guards as a community.

The response has been mixed. Earlier this month, 93 different ANCs penned a published in The 51^st opposing the deployment of National Guard troops in D.C. “It is a direct attack on the freedom and independence every community deserves,� the commissioners wrote.

Commissioners in Ward 8 were among the first to reject Hunt’s request to help, voting unanimously to refuse the offer. “We don’t need the National Guard in the community to help with beautificationâ€� they said.

Ward 1 ANC leaders also declined to respond, calling the offer “uncomfortable and concerning.�

However, Ward 7 Commissioner John Adams said, “We invite and embrace� the help.

ANC 6B, which represents Capitol Hill and Hill East is still pondering the decision.

David Sobelsohn, ANC 6B secretary, said that ANC Commissioner Edward Ryder considered holding an emergency meeting on the request but ultimately decided to wait until the full body meeting on Oct. 15 when the public can weigh in.

The troops will be here until December, so we have time to make a “measured decision,” Sobelsohn said.

Sobelsohn said some constituents would like to see the ANCs work more collaboratively with the National Guard. ÌıHe said his commission conferred with the Home Rule Caucus, an informal group of roughly 75 ANCs that advocates for D.C. self-governance.

Sobelsohn said the alternative responses falls into three camps: reject the offer outright, find collaborative ways to work with the troops or ignore the offer and don’t respond. “One and three are essentially the same,� he added.

While all ANCs agree in principle that the troops should go home, Sobelsohn said there is a school of thought that says, “if they are going to wander the streets aimlessly, we should let them do something.�

Former federal contractor Ryan Donaldson, who said he has witnessed crime first-hand, deemed the National Guard as a necessary deterrent and supports its presence for both safety and beautification efforts.

Donaldson, a Capitol Hill resident, said as a federal city, D.C. represents the pride of the nation and “we need to put our best foot forward.�

Donaldson said he has had his bike stolen a few times, witnessed a resident assaulted by a homeless person and even found a discarded handgun at a D.C. Metro station.Ìı “So yes, I support more police and National Guard presence—not just for me but for everyone who lives and works here,â€� he said.

However, Adams said she sees the beautification efforts as a political move.

“If this was really about crime, we’d see the National Guard in high-crime areas—not picking up trash near $800,000 homes and monuments,� she said. “This feels more like a test of presidential power than a public safety mission.�

Adams, a remote tech employee, added, “We don’t need troops to beautify D.C.—this money could be going toward schools and school programs, instead it’s being spent on a military presence we didn’t ask for.�

Pentagon civilian employee Mark T., who declined to provide his last name due to privacy concerns, has lived on Capitol Hill for 20 years; he offered what he described as a pragmatic approach. “If the situation has been imposed on us, let’s make the best of it,� he said.

If handled correctly and the contributions are meaningful, Mark T. said it won’t legitimize federal overreach but rather help the community. “If not, we run the risk of sounding like hyper-liberal complainers,â€� he added.

Home Rule Caucus Chairman Miguel Trindade Deramo coordinates advocacy across the commissions and urged the National Guard to remain focused on its mission of “readiness to respond to security threats.�

On Sept. 18, the Home Rule Caucus published a to Hunt thanking him for his offer but expressing “collective disapproval.� The letter cited a misuse of federal resources and warned of a troubling precedent.

Trindade Deramo told 91ÇÑ×Ó there is a lot of work to be done around the city, noting the inappropriate use of the Guards.

“They are trained soldiers; we don’t need them picking up trash and laying mulch, Trindade Deramo said.� The federal government needed to properly fund the National Park Services and the other agencies trained for these matters, he said.

Trindade Deramo said he didn’t fault wards who accepted the National Guard’s offer but stressed the principle of local autonomy outweighs the short-term service they provide.

Adams admits her children are amused and curious about the Guards posted in the neighborhood, but she cautioned this political environment is a slippery slope.

“Leaders should be standing up and pushing back and not playing along to make the troops look more useful,� she said.

D.C. leaders are navigating a delicate dance asserting local authority while responding to federal pressure and oversight.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and Council Chair Phil Mendelson spent five hours testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Sept. 18.Ìı While Bowser did not push back on the National Guard, she emphasized public safety must be managed locally.

“Let us do our job,� she told committee members.

Even with differing opinions on beautification projects, there is consensus that the Guards must be treated respectfully. Adams said, “They didn’t ask for this mission, but they are here to serve.â€�Ìı Mark T. added “Let’s treat them with the pride and decorum the uniform deserves.â€�

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, an initiative of the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities, partners with D.C. public schools and artists to create lively street murals at crosswalks aimed at reducing accidents.

Samantha Hamilton, an artist with Chalk Riot, a mural company specializing in vibrant pavement art, works with two third grade classes from Maury Elementary School, a neighborhood school located in the heart of Capitol Hill.

Through a STEM program that focuses on elements of the environment, Maury  students create images as a class and merge the images into one idea, Hamilton said. “It’s a community process and the kids lead.â€�

As an artist, Hamilton gets to take liberties to bring the images to life on the streets of Capitol Hill.

A graduate of American University, Hamilton’s art is prominently displayed on the streets of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The Color Your Curb program works alongside the city’s Vision Zero, a Mayor Muriel Bowser-backed DDOT’s program aimed at producing zero fatalities and serious injuries on D.C. streets.

Greg Billings, DDOT’s bike pathway branch manager, said he works to implement curb extensions on city streets where pedestrian safety is a concern, adding that the program is data driven. 

Artists like Hamilton, in collaboration with neighborhood schools, then bring art murals to curb extensions.

Without the artwork, the curb extensions are not as visible, said Hamilton.

Hamilton said the science shows that “extending the area where pedestrians walk reduces accidents.�

For 2025, participating schools include Maury as well as Columbia Heights Education Campus and Mary Reed Elementary.

Street art, political flashpoint.

As artists and officials collaborate for safer streets, art remains a political flashpoint. 

In March 2025 Bowser admittedly succumbed to “political pressureâ€� by removing the Black Lives Matter mural from 16^th Street.  The mural stood as reminder of the city’s racial reckoning after the 2020 death of George Floyd and Bowser’s defiance at the time against President Donald Trump.

Reflecting on the mural’s removal, Hamilton said, “The removal of the Black Lives Matter mural was terrifying.â€�  While it didn’t directly target Hamilton’s work, she said, “It jeopardized the work of all artistsâ€� and sent shockwaves through the art community as to what could be next.  

More recently, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a directive urging states across the country to remove street art and murals, citing defacement and driver distraction. 

Erik Salmi, Councilmember Charles Allen’s deputy chief of staff, said, “If the federal approach gains traction, it could roll back safety measures in the name of aesthetics.â€� 

Salmi pushed back on the federal framing of street art as a distraction, saying, “Whenever a street changes, especially in a way people don’t expect, it causes people to slow down—it’s a safety benefit.�

Salmi said he doesn’t have any concern that street murals pose a safety risk.

“DDOT has rolled it out, they are doing it with safety in mind. It’s not willy nilly, they follow strict guidelines and data,â€� Salmi said.

Amid growing concerns of directed art removal, Hamilton and leaders from Chalk Riot met with Rep Maxwell Frost (D-Fla) last week.  Frost, who has introduced legislation to support emerging artists, is taking up the issue directly with local artists in what may be strategic step for further federal directives.

Hamilton said, “It’s a huge concern that there’s going to be legislation coming down the pipeline to make it illegal and cover all of them without warning.â€� 

Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, a Republican, under the direction of the new Road Safety initiative, removed a painted rainbow crosswalk that served as a memorial for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida. DeSantis and his team removed the painting overnight without notification or consultation, sparking concerns within the art community that it could happen anywhere.  

According to Hamilton, Frost briefed the Chalk Riot team on the developments in Florida and explained there is ‘no law or pending legislation’ mandating the removal of street murals.

Despite the federal initiative, D.C. officials are doubling down on data driven public safety measures.   Salmi said in D.C., “traffic deaths and major crashes are down considerably.â€�  

The post Murals on a mission: Street art making city streets safer first appeared on 91ÇÑ×Ó.