The action at API was part of a day-long series of actions happening simultaneously around downtown DC. Protesters blocking doors at the IRS were arrested, but others blocking streets and other buildings, such as the National Archives, were not.
There were sirens and police vehicles driving in every direction around the K Street area, and police radios kept picking up reports of protests in various intersections.
A group blocked the intersection of L and 17th Streets and locked themselves together. The police cut them apart, dragged them to the side, but did not arrest them, except for one legal observer.
A March of the Dead - Black robes and White masks - began taking over the streets downtown.
Students held a dance party in the intersection of K and 14th. Nobody was arrested.
The strategy of not arresting people began backfiring on the police, because the same people were causing them new trouble throughout the day in various locations.
Hundreds of students started playing music, dancing, and taking over K Street. They headed back toward API.
Some 300 people shut down the military recruiting station on L Street.
Veterans from VFP and IVAW took the top steps of the National Archives with flags and then chained themselves to a flag pole to defend the Constitution from all enemies... domestic. Nobody was arrested.
The Grannies Peace Brigade sat down to knit stump socks for amputees in front of the Veterans Administration at H Street and Vermont Ave.
Ted Stein was jamming at top volume in McPherson Square and people were dancing for peace.
Over at the White House a crowd gathered. Vets for Peace et al marched through and headed to the VA where the Grannies were knitting. Some of these vets had done everything to get arrested at the Archives but weren't arrested. So, now they were marching through streets carrying flags.
Somewhere Bob Dylan sang "A hard rain's a gonna fall," and it did.
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