Protest On U Street, DC9's alcohol license is the issue

There was a protest at ABRA this morning outside its offices on U Street Northwest.  The Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration is used to protests, but most of them are conducted in a hearing room inside.  Today's protest brought out the press and the MPD motorcycle unit.

                 

By the time I left, it had grown to two people.  

 Both protestors represented the Ethiopian American community and its supporters who called for the demonstration outside the offices of ABRA "to oppose the lack of transpaerency, due process and community input surrounding the reinstatement hearing for DC9's liquor license."

                                  

On the night of October 15th, 2010, a 27-year old Ethiopian American man was chased down and assaulted after he had been put out of DC9, a nightclub at 9th and U.  The man died in the custody of the police.  DC9's co-owner and four employees were initially charged with murdering the man, but later the charges were dropped down to assault and then dropped altogether.

Since this this time, MPD has had a consistent presence in front of the DC 9 nightclub.

When the event happened, Councilmember Graham was uncharacteristicly silent about the crime, which was clearly a crime of violence and hate, about which Graham often stands in front of a camera to pontificate.   There was a quote from the councilmember in the Washington Post, "the owners of DC9 are good people".  However, according to Commissioner Bryan Weaver, when the councilmember showed up at the Ethiopian Demonstration at DC9, he backed away from the Post quote and called for the charge to remain a murder charge.

During the primary campaign season, the owner of DC9 gave Councilmember Graham  a campaign contribution of $600, which exceeded the legal amount by a hundred dollars.  A posting in the Councilmember's file with the Office of Campaign Finance shows an audit requesting evidence the overpayment was returned.    

I am not saying there is any connection with the councilmember and dispersal of justice, or lack thereof,  in the case regarding this protest.  However, the speed in which the criminal case was dispensed of is questionable at least.  Violence in club zones in Ward One is a serious problem, and the continuation of business as usual in the face of this violence begs the question of who the system is protecting.

In defense of ABRA, they voted 7 to 0 to keep DC9 closed because of the continuing tension in the community against the establishment.