Hands Off DC Is Organizing on Behalf of the District, in Resistance to Congress

Published in Washington City Paper (July 28, 2023)

On March 24, 17 organizers from the organizing coalition Hands Off DC were arrested outside of the Capitol while protesting Congressional involvement in the D.C. Council’s legislative affairs. Sixteen movement leaders were arrested for blocking traffic and one was arrested for vandalism, according to reports. 

Shadow Representative Oye Owolewa was among the leaders arrested. “It’s a shame that we have to get arrested for folks on Capitol Hill to pay attention,” he told Washingtonian at the time. The arrested leaders were reflective of the broader coalition of more than 50 organizations behind Hands Off DC that share one common goal: organizing and working on behalf of D.C.