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Protesting Against the World BankOn September 28, 2002, I went up to Washington, DC on a photo shoot with the primary goal being to do a photo set on the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria. While I did accomplish this goal (though for reasons of photo quality, I ended up never using that bunch of photos), I had a surprise photo set kind of unfold right in front of me. Unbeknownst to me before I arrived at the Vienna Metro station, there was a protest going on at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters. I initially ran into some protesters at Vienna who were on their way to meet the big group in Washington, and got some vital information, and I was off! What I ended up getting was a fairly well-rounded photo set, though nothing like later protest coverage that I did with more advance notice.
First of all, I ran into this group of protesters, with their hand-painted signs, on their way to meet the big group. These folks actually came up here all the way from Georgia to participate! After I got the photographs of them, I inquired regarding information about the protest, and thanked them for their help.
In Washington itself, outside the Farragut West Metro station, this gentleman held his sign up for all the world to see. So good to see some healthy methods of protesting employed by this gentleman and the people shown above.
Also near the Farragut West Station, we found various alternative methods of protesting, through graffiti on these plywood construction barrier walls.
(For these two lower images, you may want to expand the images by clicking on them to better see the messages)
Speaking of alternative protesting, these really have nothing to do with the World Bank, but they're still an example of less-than-proper-venue protesting, as some person or persons took it upon him or herself to deface these Metro station ads at the Ballston-MU station with a magic marker.
Around the Farragut West station, non-participating observers were milling about, observing what would happen next.
Meanwhile, the Washington DC Police were suiting up in their riot gear, preparing for the worst, should it occur.
While preparing, the police also set up a command center.
After suiting up, the DC Police physically blocked off the street, in order to keep traffic out, and the protesters on the right path.
Meanwhile, about the only kind of vehicle you saw around were police vehicles.
About the only kind of thing allowed past the police barricade were emergency vehicles as seen here, and other vehicles being used in helping keep order, such as a Metrobus being used to ferry police officers around. It should be noted that not long after I left here, Metro had to temporarily close the Farragut West station due to the protest. According to station announcements, Farragut West was temporarily closed, and that trains would pass through but not service Farragut West. Farragut West reopened not long after its closure, though. |
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