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DC Resident Sheltered 80 Protesters Last Night, This Woman Tweeted What Happened Inside His Home
When dozens of peaceful protesters were confined by law enforcement on the block around Swann Street in Northwest DC on Monday evening, the street turned into a human tsunami. But amid all the chaos, one person stood up in an inspirational act of kindness, opening his heart and home to those who were the most vulnerable.
44-year-old resident Rahul Dubey opened the front door of his house and rushed around 80 strangers inside. The protesters sheltered there until the curfew lifted at 6 AM, but the night was not an easy one. One protester named Allison Lane was reporting on Twitter everything that was happening for hours, which felt like an eternity. While the police were allegedly throwing pepper spray canisters trying to arrest the protesters, Rahul did everything he could to keep everyone safe. “I know in my heart of hearts that you would open the door, too,” the people’s humble hero said. So let’s take a look at how the tense situation unfolded down below.
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After Rahul sheltered 80 peaceful protesters at his house, this woman was tweeting live what was happening there
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This is Rahul. Rahul saved 62 DC protesters who were trapped for hours on his block by police. He allowed them to stay all night, fed them, gave them water, charged their phones, and most importantly kept them safe. This was no party, the police through pepper spray canisters pic.twitter.com/ZDpNkfXsoa
— suckmyunicorn (@suckmyunicornD) June 2, 2020
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Bored Panda contacted one of the protesters who preferred to stay anonymous and was present during the incident on the Swann Street. She recounted what happened there: “When I arrived, there was a low police presence compared to what I had seen from images and video taken by the protesters inside the house all night long. The police seemed to have retreated.”
All of the supporters stood outside the house on the sidewalk, talking to the people inside the house through the front windows until they could safely leave at 6 in the morning. “We passed them Pop-Tarts through the mail slot on the front door,” the protester said.
At around 6 AM, Rahul came out to speak to everyone. “There were about 10 supporters and a barrage of media cameras.”
“Supporters helped exchange rides home for all of the protesters and Rahul gave an inspiring speech to the protesters about keeping up the peaceful fight and protecting their mental health.” Everyone recognized that without Rahul’s support, “they’d have been sent to jail that night just for peacefully protesting.”
Here’s the conversation between Rahul and a protester
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Rahul Dubey told NBC Washington that protesters were “decimated and beaten on the steps of my house” as he himself was among the many who got pepper-sprayed. “The crowd came racing through like a tornado,” Dubey said. “We had to keep the door open and keep pulling them in… it’s the same you would do if there’s a storm.” The people who took shelter in his house ranged from 18 to 50 and were “an amazing group of people that were gathered here peacefully,” according to Dubey.
People celebrated Rahul’s bravery in helping the protesters
Image credits: kikivonfreaki
Meanwhile, the DC Metropolitan Police Department addressed the Swann Street incident in a press conference on Tuesday. Chief Peter Newsham stated: “We’ll go back and take a very, very close look to ensure that the police were respectful and responsible, professional and constitutional.” When asked if the pepper spray was deployed inside a house, Newsham replied that he will have to review police cameras before answering. But the police officers who worked on the scene told him the pepper spray wasn’t deployed.
Police have pinned us down at 15th St & Swann St NW. Several flash bangs used earlier to disperse the crowd. Very tense. #dcprotest pic.twitter.com/mZvWKJpFXX
— Ken Duffy (@KenDuffyNews) June 2, 2020
Image credits: KenDuffyNews
More people shared updates on the tense situation on Swann Street
Image credits: D_Hawk
Image credits: KenDuffyNews
According to Buzzfeed News, when the air cleared, the protesters began talking and trying to figure the whole ordeal out. Dubey ordered five or six pizzas for everyone trapped inside, but the police “hijacked” his pizza order and didn’t allow them to reach the front of his house. The boxes were then delivered to the group inside through the fence. “I had to do a covert pizza operation,” Dubey said.
THE POLICE BOXED IN A GROUP OF PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND THEN STARTED HITTING AND MACING PEOPLE. A MAN TOOK SOME OF US INTO HIS HOUSE AND THE POLICE HAVE US TRAPPED. THERE ARE PEOPLE STILL TRAPPED IN THE STREET ON 15th AND SWANN pic.twitter.com/H2B2QCup1o
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
Image credits: MekaFromThe703
They shot mace at peaceful protesters is a residential neighborhood. The man who took us in is named Rahul Dubey. He gave us business cards in case they try to say we broke in. pic.twitter.com/gKzmrvCa75
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
Image credits: MekaFromThe703
MPD promised that no one would get arrested if they ordered food for the hungry protesters trapped inside but now cops are refusing to let the driver deliver the food.
Here is the resident of the house who voluntarily took in the protesters negotiating with police for food. pic.twitter.com/2X8iQgztu4
— Alex Taliadoros (@AlexCTaliadoros) June 2, 2020
Image credits: AlexCTaliadoros
WE GOT PIZZA!🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/Y0pfaRHDHw
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
Image credits: MekaFromThe703
still arresting people outside pic.twitter.com/Gf5ICYptjB
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
Image credits: MekaFromThe703
Image credits: D_Hawk
currently stuffing protestors into a van pic.twitter.com/EibaAhxDXG
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
Image credits: MekaFromThe703
another neighbor just opened their door and let protestors run in, Police followed them in pic.twitter.com/01StC2m8Sa
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
Image credits: MekaFromThe703
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN WASHINGTON DC IN 2020!!! SHOW THEM SHOW THEM SHOW THEM SHOW THEM!!!!! #swannstreet THIS IS WHATS GOING ON RT RT REPOST GO FUCKIN CRAZY!! THEY CHANGED THE NAMES FROM SLAVES TO PROTESTORS PEOPLE HAD TO HIDE US IN THEIR HOUSES IN A FUCKIN PANDEMIC!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/6THd5GuIEG
— Immaculate (@PrettyLotongo) June 2, 2020
Image credits: PrettyLotongo
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What do you think ?
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
And, thank God, the home of some very brave people, too.
Load More Replies...
Kirsten Kerkhof 4 years ago
... I have no words ... I don't think I'll be able to pick up my jaw off the floor for a long time ...
Hans 4 years ago
I am well aware that this is one perspective only, and probably a biased one Yet it allows to conclude that what is happening in the US right now is not worthy of a constitutional, democratic state.
deanna woods 4 years ago
Your perspective is not biased, it is exactly what is going on in the US right now. The US is starting to be less of a democracy and more of a dictatorship.
Load More Replies...
Christophe Beunens 4 years ago
If I were a cop right now in the US, I would probably resign. I cannot understand why there is a need for violence. The easiest way out is so simple : Trump needs to withdraw the police, and promise that justice will be done.
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
The looters are not protestors. They are opportunistic predators. Like the cops that way.
Load More Replies...
Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Disgraceful behavior on the part of the police, who are supposed to protect and serve not pepper spray and flash bang. Along with any possible planted agitators, they are the ones responsible for whatever violence there may have been, not the protestors. The right keeps hollering about protecting the Second Amendment so they can buy more weapons—-the tools of violence—-but tend to forget about the First Amendment, which includes “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”, which is exactly what the protestors were doing.
Isabella 4 years ago
TBH - we deal with this s**t for over 3 months now in Poland too. We are beaten, gas-sprayed and arrested by the police. Anyone who does not support alr-right current government is. Teachers. Med workers. Protesters. Small business owners. Basically anyone. Nobody reacts. No word about it outside Poland. :(
Rosie Hamilton 4 years ago
This is to do with the vote on regressive legislation that would restrict sexual and reproductive health rights isn't it? Dreadful mess. I was reading about it on a news site in the UK recently. It isn't getting enough exposure but there are those of us who care and we do see you Poland, we do support you. You too US we wish we could help. Love from an anti-Brexit UK citizen.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Is any other US citizen sick of this BS? Since 9/11, the cops just seem to buy tanks and tear gas, and then use them on people who were *peacefully protesting per Constitutional right*. Dispersed why? So POTUS could get a photo op? IF YOU ARE IN THE US... STAND UP AND SPEAK. Stop assuming that the cops are being victimized and are only "protecting themselves". Stop assuming the same of protestors (or, in many cases, opportunists looking to loot). The ONLY reason to take that many people into custody is to get the fingerprints in the system fo rfuture reference... And if that doesn't scare you, America, it bloody well should. In my mom's family's native land, that was step one to getting "disappeared".
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
So where are all those white folks who demand the right to bare arms, so they can defend themselves from the oppressive government and violent police? This is exactly what you said you needed guns for, now GO OUT IN THE STREETS AND PROTECT THESE PROTESTERS!
Helen Haley 4 years ago
This is what I don't get. They all say they need guns to protect them from government, but even the police are decked out like the military. Any arsenal a private citizen has will pale in comparison to the average police department, let alone the military. So all of their huffing and puffing over 'guvment gonna take ma guns', bs is just some stupid posturing for their need to own penis enhancing toys that encourage a deadly climate of gun nuts and mass shootings.
Load More Replies...
jevais 4 years ago (edited)
I've gone through all of this back in the 60s and left the states to come back to my country. Between the Civil Rights mouvement and the war in Vietnam, I couldn't take it anymore. Nothing has changed, Afro-Americans have never been considered by the WASP anything else than slaves. Impossible to ever make America great, land stolen from America Indians who still live in Reserves, Mexicans treated like third rate humans, bigots that warm up church benches, yet will kill doctors working in abortion clinics, death of newborns is higher among non whites, as death rate for whites are higher than in Europe, prisons that are cesspools where children are held in detention, Mexicans and South Americans trying to cross your boards have their children held in detention as if they were terrorists, no good health insurance for all, I'll stop now as I could go on forever. Shame on those govern this country and those who vote for red necks.
Ceredwyn Ealanta 4 years ago
They shot tear gas through his window even though he's in his own damn house and states that he's perfectly fine.
Katinka Min 4 years ago
Letting 62 peopel in your house for the night is pretty amazing. I can't imagine how anybody even has space to sit down, much less use the toilet. The descriptions of police tactics are truly scary, though. The USA are not a real democracy
deanna woods 4 years ago
I think Rahul is a great man and I think what he is doing is 100% right. It's ridiculous that the police trapped these people and then claimed that they broke into these homes. From what I understand, the residents of the homes allowed them to come in.
Florencia Renedo 4 years ago
The curfew was meant to protect the residents from the looters, not to have an excuse to arrest protesters! People should have the right to peacefully protest. Are we living in a military regime now??
Riley James 4 years ago
I cant believe that this country is in this much of disarray and we are still getting people who dont believe that everybody is equal even though everyone is supposed to be equal. People dont care for others and they just want to get their white privileged way.
jevais 4 years ago
Unfortunately many still believe in white supremacy, as long as these beasts still walk this earth things won't change. This disease is pasted on generation to generation.
Load More Replies... Pseudo Puppy 4 years ago
White Supremacists walking the streets armed, chanting hatred, & trying to provoke violence = "good people". UNARMED people, walking the streets PEACEFULLY, asking for EQUALITY = "must be dominated". Welcome to Hitler 2.0.
Tiny Dynamine 4 years ago
It is fascism, plain and simple. I hope the rest of the world declares war on America.
Pseudo Puppy 4 years ago
white supremacists walking the streets armed, chanting hatred to provoke violence = "good people". UNARMED folks walking PEACEFULLY, asking for EQUALITY = "must be dominated". Welcome to Hitler V2.0.
RaroaRaroa 4 years ago
I wonder what charges they were arresting people on. They can't have identified anyone properly prior to them going into the houses. How can they arrest them on the way out? Unless there's a curfew, they're just people going about their private business if they depart 1 by 1.
Katchen 4 years ago
There is a curfew. Sounds like the police were falsely accusing the protesters of breaking and entering Rahul’s house.
Load More Replies... Damon Gates 4 years ago
Wonderful to see decency step up, tragic that it has to be heroic rather than commonplace.
KT Trondsen 4 years ago
Why are they being arrested for peaceful protesting? I've heard they've put in curfews, are they breaking them and thats what the police are using to arrest? America is not the land of the free at all :(
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
Beautiful people helping and being helped. The police who lied discredited the badge. Shame on them.
Emily Softley 4 years ago
What an amazing man. Totally selfless and the type of hero we need right now.
Weishaar Jamie 4 years ago
Rahul and other residents who aided the PEACEFUL protesters; you are heroes for humanity, justice, and democracy. Thank you.
Weishaar Jamie 4 years ago
Some cops are racists, and misogynistic, power hungry people who abuse their power. Most are not. The problem here is the government and those in power and command. While these actions were wrong, horrendous, deplorable and unconstitutional, the police were doing what they were ORDERED to do. It was not their choice or decision. This does not excuse these actions but, place the blame where it really belongs. On those 'in charge' giving the orders.
peruchipac 4 years ago
There was a curfew, but there were supporters outside passing PopTarts through the mail slot and pizza was delivered? Sounds like cops were specifically targeting those 62 people.
Elizabeth Molloy 4 years ago
Hey cops - Stop f*****g lying! Everyone you attack and corral has a phone; they can film you and take photos. We know you are attacking peaceful protestors. We know you pepper-sprayed innocent people. Stop acting trike the goddamned GESTAPO! Police Chiefs: Disarm your people. They can't assault citizens if they don't have pepper spray and tear-gas!
LoL.alpaca 4 years ago
if everyone just stood up against this problem this would all be over by now
Colin Bayler 4 years ago
Nothing like harboring law breakers to make your your liberal elitist heart swell with pride.
Jakub Koziorek 4 years ago
This reminds me of Velvet Revolution in my country back in the '89. Police surrounded protesters on both ends of the streets and pushed them against themselves, and people living on the block had let them in their flats, so no-one is hurt. Some heroes don't wear capes, like this guy.
Gloria Beacon 4 years ago
Hey what happened to the pandemic. No one mad people are in the streets without masks? So easily manipulated from one crisis to another. What will the next crisis be? The media is our greatest enemy, they love chaos.
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
This is what happens to a once vigorous country when the lowest common denominator is permitted, in each state, to determine what they decide facts are, and what will be taught. Some textbooks state the Africans sailed in boats to the US. Slavery is not mentioned.
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
And, thank God, the home of some very brave people, too.
Load More Replies... Kirsten Kerkhof 4 years ago
... I have no words ... I don't think I'll be able to pick up my jaw off the floor for a long time ...
Hans 4 years ago
I am well aware that this is one perspective only, and probably a biased one Yet it allows to conclude that what is happening in the US right now is not worthy of a constitutional, democratic state.
deanna woods 4 years ago
Your perspective is not biased, it is exactly what is going on in the US right now. The US is starting to be less of a democracy and more of a dictatorship.
Load More Replies... Christophe Beunens 4 years ago
If I were a cop right now in the US, I would probably resign. I cannot understand why there is a need for violence. The easiest way out is so simple : Trump needs to withdraw the police, and promise that justice will be done.
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
The looters are not protestors. They are opportunistic predators. Like the cops that way.
Load More Replies... Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Disgraceful behavior on the part of the police, who are supposed to protect and serve not pepper spray and flash bang. Along with any possible planted agitators, they are the ones responsible for whatever violence there may have been, not the protestors. The right keeps hollering about protecting the Second Amendment so they can buy more weapons—-the tools of violence—-but tend to forget about the First Amendment, which includes “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”, which is exactly what the protestors were doing.
Isabella 4 years ago
TBH - we deal with this s**t for over 3 months now in Poland too. We are beaten, gas-sprayed and arrested by the police. Anyone who does not support alr-right current government is. Teachers. Med workers. Protesters. Small business owners. Basically anyone. Nobody reacts. No word about it outside Poland. :(
Rosie Hamilton 4 years ago
This is to do with the vote on regressive legislation that would restrict sexual and reproductive health rights isn't it? Dreadful mess. I was reading about it on a news site in the UK recently. It isn't getting enough exposure but there are those of us who care and we do see you Poland, we do support you. You too US we wish we could help. Love from an anti-Brexit UK citizen.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Is any other US citizen sick of this BS? Since 9/11, the cops just seem to buy tanks and tear gas, and then use them on people who were *peacefully protesting per Constitutional right*. Dispersed why? So POTUS could get a photo op? IF YOU ARE IN THE US... STAND UP AND SPEAK. Stop assuming that the cops are being victimized and are only "protecting themselves". Stop assuming the same of protestors (or, in many cases, opportunists looking to loot). The ONLY reason to take that many people into custody is to get the fingerprints in the system fo rfuture reference... And if that doesn't scare you, America, it bloody well should. In my mom's family's native land, that was step one to getting "disappeared".
Demi Zwaan 4 years ago
So where are all those white folks who demand the right to bare arms, so they can defend themselves from the oppressive government and violent police? This is exactly what you said you needed guns for, now GO OUT IN THE STREETS AND PROTECT THESE PROTESTERS!
Helen Haley 4 years ago
This is what I don't get. They all say they need guns to protect them from government, but even the police are decked out like the military. Any arsenal a private citizen has will pale in comparison to the average police department, let alone the military. So all of their huffing and puffing over 'guvment gonna take ma guns', bs is just some stupid posturing for their need to own penis enhancing toys that encourage a deadly climate of gun nuts and mass shootings.
Load More Replies... jevais 4 years ago (edited)
I've gone through all of this back in the 60s and left the states to come back to my country. Between the Civil Rights mouvement and the war in Vietnam, I couldn't take it anymore. Nothing has changed, Afro-Americans have never been considered by the WASP anything else than slaves. Impossible to ever make America great, land stolen from America Indians who still live in Reserves, Mexicans treated like third rate humans, bigots that warm up church benches, yet will kill doctors working in abortion clinics, death of newborns is higher among non whites, as death rate for whites are higher than in Europe, prisons that are cesspools where children are held in detention, Mexicans and South Americans trying to cross your boards have their children held in detention as if they were terrorists, no good health insurance for all, I'll stop now as I could go on forever. Shame on those govern this country and those who vote for red necks.
Ceredwyn Ealanta 4 years ago
They shot tear gas through his window even though he's in his own damn house and states that he's perfectly fine.
Katinka Min 4 years ago
Letting 62 peopel in your house for the night is pretty amazing. I can't imagine how anybody even has space to sit down, much less use the toilet. The descriptions of police tactics are truly scary, though. The USA are not a real democracy
deanna woods 4 years ago
I think Rahul is a great man and I think what he is doing is 100% right. It's ridiculous that the police trapped these people and then claimed that they broke into these homes. From what I understand, the residents of the homes allowed them to come in.
Florencia Renedo 4 years ago
The curfew was meant to protect the residents from the looters, not to have an excuse to arrest protesters! People should have the right to peacefully protest. Are we living in a military regime now??
Riley James 4 years ago
I cant believe that this country is in this much of disarray and we are still getting people who dont believe that everybody is equal even though everyone is supposed to be equal. People dont care for others and they just want to get their white privileged way.
jevais 4 years ago
Unfortunately many still believe in white supremacy, as long as these beasts still walk this earth things won't change. This disease is pasted on generation to generation.
Load More Replies... Pseudo Puppy 4 years ago
White Supremacists walking the streets armed, chanting hatred, & trying to provoke violence = "good people". UNARMED people, walking the streets PEACEFULLY, asking for EQUALITY = "must be dominated". Welcome to Hitler 2.0.
Tiny Dynamine 4 years ago
It is fascism, plain and simple. I hope the rest of the world declares war on America.
Pseudo Puppy 4 years ago
white supremacists walking the streets armed, chanting hatred to provoke violence = "good people". UNARMED folks walking PEACEFULLY, asking for EQUALITY = "must be dominated". Welcome to Hitler V2.0.
RaroaRaroa 4 years ago
I wonder what charges they were arresting people on. They can't have identified anyone properly prior to them going into the houses. How can they arrest them on the way out? Unless there's a curfew, they're just people going about their private business if they depart 1 by 1.
Katchen 4 years ago
There is a curfew. Sounds like the police were falsely accusing the protesters of breaking and entering Rahul’s house.
Load More Replies... Damon Gates 4 years ago
Wonderful to see decency step up, tragic that it has to be heroic rather than commonplace.
KT Trondsen 4 years ago
Why are they being arrested for peaceful protesting? I've heard they've put in curfews, are they breaking them and thats what the police are using to arrest? America is not the land of the free at all :(
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
Beautiful people helping and being helped. The police who lied discredited the badge. Shame on them.
Emily Softley 4 years ago
What an amazing man. Totally selfless and the type of hero we need right now.
Weishaar Jamie 4 years ago
Rahul and other residents who aided the PEACEFUL protesters; you are heroes for humanity, justice, and democracy. Thank you.
Weishaar Jamie 4 years ago
Some cops are racists, and misogynistic, power hungry people who abuse their power. Most are not. The problem here is the government and those in power and command. While these actions were wrong, horrendous, deplorable and unconstitutional, the police were doing what they were ORDERED to do. It was not their choice or decision. This does not excuse these actions but, place the blame where it really belongs. On those 'in charge' giving the orders.
peruchipac 4 years ago
There was a curfew, but there were supporters outside passing PopTarts through the mail slot and pizza was delivered? Sounds like cops were specifically targeting those 62 people.
Elizabeth Molloy 4 years ago
Hey cops - Stop f*****g lying! Everyone you attack and corral has a phone; they can film you and take photos. We know you are attacking peaceful protestors. We know you pepper-sprayed innocent people. Stop acting trike the goddamned GESTAPO! Police Chiefs: Disarm your people. They can't assault citizens if they don't have pepper spray and tear-gas!
LoL.alpaca 4 years ago
if everyone just stood up against this problem this would all be over by now
Colin Bayler 4 years ago
Nothing like harboring law breakers to make your your liberal elitist heart swell with pride.
Jakub Koziorek 4 years ago
This reminds me of Velvet Revolution in my country back in the '89. Police surrounded protesters on both ends of the streets and pushed them against themselves, and people living on the block had let them in their flats, so no-one is hurt. Some heroes don't wear capes, like this guy.
Gloria Beacon 4 years ago
Hey what happened to the pandemic. No one mad people are in the streets without masks? So easily manipulated from one crisis to another. What will the next crisis be? The media is our greatest enemy, they love chaos.
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
This is what happens to a once vigorous country when the lowest common denominator is permitted, in each state, to determine what they decide facts are, and what will be taught. Some textbooks state the Africans sailed in boats to the US. Slavery is not mentioned.
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