[Mb-civic] Human Mosaic to Take Shape in D.C. - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Human Mosaic to Take Shape in D.C.
Protesters, Book Lovers, Segway Riders Among Those Holding Weekend Events

By Petula Dvorak
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 24, 2005; Page B01

Downtown Washington will be a busy and eclectically populated piece of 
American turf this weekend, with protesters, counter-protesters, 
international bankers, bookworms, baseball fans and enthusiasts of the 
odd-looking, two-wheeled human transporters known as Segways descending 
on the nation's capital.

In addition to today's antiwar rally, march and concert near the White 
House and Washington Monument, expected to draw about 100,000 people, 
the Mall will be the site of the National Book Festival sponsored by the 
Library of Congress every year.

Nearby, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund will hold their 
fall meetings, and in the Hotel Washington, SegwayFest will draw dozens 
of the gyroscopic devices and their proud owners for a national 
convention. At Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, the Washington 
Nationals will play the New York Mets tonight and tomorrow afternoon.

Transportation officials are asking people to leave their cars at home 
and take Metro. Police will be closing many downtown streets at various 
times and mobilizing their forces for a busy weekend.

"We are expecting a very large crowd for the antiwar demonstration," 
said D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey, adding that he thinks the 
number of protesters could "easily exceed" the 100,000 estimated by 
organizers.

D.C. police yesterday activated 14 closed-circuit surveillance cameras 
to help them monitor the antiwar demonstrations and any activity near 
the IMF and World Bank. The cameras send live video feeds to a command 
center at police headquarters.

Ramsey said he has canceled days off for officers and put them on 
12-hour shifts to boost staffing for today's demonstrations and to 
sustain patrols in the city's seven police districts. He said several 
hundred officers will be deployed downtown to monitor the march, rallies 
and counter-protests.

"We don't anticipate any problems," Ramsey said. "We'll monitor the 
march as it proceeds through downtown, but we don't anticipate any 
problems as a result of the parade."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/23/AR2005092301873.html
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