The Black Lives Matter protests in Washington DC are taking the fight straight to Trump, reports Shabbir Lakha based on an interview with Sarah Govan

On Saturday tens of thousands of people marched through Washington DC as part of several different protests that coalesced around the newly renamed Black Lives Matter plaza. The massive “Black Lives Matter” was painted on the street earlier that morning and the curfew had been lifted on Thursday.

Trump, dubbed “bunker-bitch” by the protesters, was safely sealed in the completely-fenced off White House. A number of roads had been closed off to accommodate the huge numbers of people protesting, and buildings in the area were boarded up. The police and National Guard, though large in number and very visible, held back from engaging with the crowd – the biggest in DC yet - having just been sued by the ACLU for their use of tear gas and pepper spray in Lafayette Square.

Following the arrest of the other police officers responsible for killing George Floyd and without the police attacking us, the protest was calmer than the previous week. People were handing out snacks and drinks and there was an overwhelming feeling of solidarity. That’s not to say there wasn’t still anger or resistance. The chants continued to say “No justice no peace”, demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, “Fuck Trump” and at the police “Who do you protect?”. Protesters also painted a massive “Defund the police” on the street at Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Like in most US cities, the protests on Trump’s doorstep have continued since Saturday and show no sign of going away.

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