Decking the Hill with bouts of protest
WASHINGTON — Outside the Capitol, the lights on a towering Christmas tree are flipped on each evening, giving the Engelmann Spruce a festive twinkle; inside the marble halls, wreaths and garlands decorate doorways and alcoves ahead of the holidays.
But the spirit of the season has been punctuated by other sights: a giant video board parked across from the Capitol reflecting pool broadcasts images of young immigrants who face deportation; Little Lobbyists, children with complex medical needs, joined a recent news conference; protesters filed into the visitor galleries to shout against the tax plan.
While it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, it’s also shaping up to be a holiday season of protest.
“THIS IS WHAT 30 OFFICES LOOKED LIKE TODAY!” tweeted United We Dream, the immigrant activist group, with a picture of youths crammed into a lawmaker’s office Tuesday on Capitol Hill to protest the lack of action on proposals to extend the protections against deportation for young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
“Hundreds of immigrant youth have come from all over the country to take over Washington, D.C. We are making our demands clear: we need a Dream Act before the holidays,” the tweet declared.
Capitol Hill police lined hallways Tuesday evening ahead of the late Senate vote on the tax plan. The officers knew what to expect: Protesters had interrupted House speeches earlier in the day, shouting “Kill the Bill!”
Of all the activist groups, DACA recipients — child immigrants who received temporary permits to work and stay in the U.S. under President Barack Obama’s program, which Trump is ending — have been the most visible advocates.