Actually, this protest has its roots months ago.

A bunch of happy libertarians wanted to celebrate Jefferson's birthday. So they planned a little midnight dance party, with iPods so no music could be heard, done quietly to minimize the impact, thinking that there wouldn't be any tourists to disturb. No harm was intended, it was just a little celebration.

They were still loud though, and they were asked to leave. Everyone left, loudly protesting but no big whoop, except one woman, who got arrested.

I don't know exactly what transpired next, but she sued and lost, and appealed and lost.

It was the loss on appeal that led Adam Kokesh to post a YouTube invitation to anyone to come to the Memorial at a specific time, during the day. That is what you see at the other video -- what happened with the public demonstration.

As I posted on the first video:
For those interested, here are links to the original flash mob event that precipitated the chain of events that led to this action:

Part I - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-IpdeMqlkM&feature=player_embedded

Part II -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujrSAJ1b6Go (the first person you see is the woman who ends up getting arrested at the end of this part)

And here is the original facebook invitation to the first birthday celebration:

"It's a secret birthday/dance party thrown by a group of flashmobbing libertarians. Tell friends about it if they are 1. Awesome. 2. Can keep their mouth shut 3. libertarians

Sweet dance moves wouldn't hurt either.

It works best if we all listen to the same song (nominate on the wall) but since libertarians are "free to choose" come prepared to listen to whatever makes you happy."



>> ^dag:

^Agreed. And remember that this video has to be viewed in context, having watched this video first: http://videosift.com/video/Police-State-Arrested-For-Dan
cing-in-the-Jefferson-Memorial
This second video is a direct response to the first - these are people putting themselves at risk of being arrested - to support the innocent people who were assaulted and arrested for shuffling their feet a bit in the previous video.

Thanks for the promote.

In reply to this comment by marinara:
*promote

http://videosift.com/video/Russia-Today-RT-reports-on-6-4-11-Flash-Mob

>> ^xxovercastxx:

The thing I dislike about these sorts of protests is they are creating the situation they protest against. This isn't protesting, really, it's trolling: baiting people into a reaction.
If some couple had been arrested for innocently dancing while visiting the memorial, then I'd be more inclined to support a dancing flash mob.
And yeah, if you protest anything with the intent of being arrested, don't act like it's a surprise. You just look like a moron.

You rang??? Oh...ok back to under my bridge

For those interested, here are links to the original flash mob event that precipitated the chain of events that led to this action:

Part I - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-IpdeMqlkM&feature=player_embedded

Part II -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujrSAJ1b6Go (the first person you see is the woman who ends up getting arrested at the end of this part)

Part III -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7HFTtjJZZg was linked with part I & II but has been blocked as private.

http://videosift.com/video/News-report-on-Dancing-at-the-Jefferson-Memorial

Here's a link to a news report that discusses this incident.

Personally, I am bored to death by folks like Adam, who reflexively respond to any "limitation" put on their "freedoms." The best way to handle this "protest"? Turn your back and walk away. Nothing to film, nothing to complain about.

I think it is interesting of the original flash mob only one person was arrested. I suspect it wasn't dancing that got her arrested, or all of them would have been.

I also find it interesting that the cops and the protestors are actually both doing EXACTLY THE SAME THING. They feel disrespected and they respond. Everybody is human, hows about that?

The thing I dislike about these sorts of protests is they are creating the situation they protest against. This isn't protesting, really, it's trolling: baiting people into a reaction.

If some couple had been arrested for innocently dancing while visiting the memorial, then I'd be more inclined to support a dancing flash mob.

And yeah, if you protest anything with the intent of being arrested, don't act like it's a surprise. You just look like a moron.

>> ^Shepppard:

Not that it's here nor there, but if I went to see a memorial and there were a bunch of people being disruptive in any way, shape or form, I'd be rather upset at that.
What we see here is a video of the cops showing up and what follows. As bareboards said, we don't see what happened prior to the video. It could've been as innocent as two people dancing (however, "Flash Mob" really makes me think there were more then that), or it could've been rather disruptive.
Honestly, if you're going to be there to protest, at least take the time to do it right. Lets use me as an example, if I went to D.C. I'd love to see things like the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, etc. Take in the sights dedicated to history, because that's something I truly enjoy.
If I got to one of those places and i'm not able to enjoy it fully because someone decided they wanted to make a flash mob for whatever reason, not even taking the time to buy a protesting permit, I'd be pretty bummed. I would have traveled however far and not been able to enjoy something I was looking forward to because of this.
I'm not saying how it was handled was right by the cops, but I am saying that the protestors were being rather ignorant to everyone but themselves by how they handled this situation, too.


Respect. There are certain places that demand it. Also, if a cop tells you not to do something and you go right ahead and do the very thing he told you not to do right in his face, your incarceration is imminent. Duh. I don't think they were arrested for dancing so much as belligerence.

Not that it's here nor there, but if I went to see a memorial and there were a bunch of people being disruptive in any way, shape or form, I'd be rather upset at that.

What we see here is a video of the cops showing up and what follows. As bareboards said, we don't see what happened prior to the video. It could've been as innocent as two people dancing (however, "Flash Mob" really makes me think there were more then that), or it could've been rather disruptive.

Honestly, if you're going to be there to protest, at least take the time to do it right. Lets use me as an example, if I went to D.C. I'd love to see things like the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, etc. Take in the sights dedicated to history, because that's something I truly enjoy.

If I got to one of those places and i'm not able to enjoy it fully because someone decided they wanted to make a flash mob for whatever reason, not even taking the time to buy a protesting permit, I'd be pretty bummed. I would have traveled however far and not been able to enjoy something I was looking forward to because of this.

I'm not saying how it was handled was right by the cops, but I am saying that the protestors were being rather ignorant to everyone but themselves by how they handled this situation, too.

>> ^NetRunner:

To pimp my other video, there's a giant flash-mob party happening outside the White House:
http://politics.videosift.com/video/Crowd-Celebr
ates-bin-Laden-s-Death-in-front-of-White-House
I may be okay with bin Laden being dead, but I'm a lot less comfortable with the big raucus cheering crowd. A man was killed, we shouldn't be celebrating like that.
Still, it's a huge catharsis for the American people. Osama bin Laden has been an uncomfortable reminder of the limits of American power. How could we be the greatest, best country if we couldn't even catch one man living in a cave?
It's been gnawing at us for the last decade. And now he's dead. Not of old age, not without us knowing it for sure, but clearly, definitively.
Soon, we'll have the grisly pictures of Osama's corpse on the front pages of our newspapers. All the indignity of his head on a pike, without seeming quite as barbaric.
People's minds will change because of this. I don't know if they'll finally stand up and demand that we declare victory, and bring our wars to a close. I don't know if people will finally relax, and stop their paranoia about terrorism, or at least let it go.
I just hope it doesn't renew our appetite for war...that really would be tragic.


Haven't watched your video yet, but I've watched some of the gathering outside the White House. They're screaming "USA! USA! USA!", which reminded me of the kind of jingoistic behavior the Dems condemned from the Repubs. I'm not saying those are Dems out there. I'm sure it's a mix.

It's scary behavior, because it's emotional and passionate. I'd personally like to see us shift back to a country based on reason not emotion. A country of law not vengeance. What bothers me most is this could very well be another stepping stone toward accepting fascism.

To pimp my other video, there's a giant flash-mob party happening outside the White House:

http://politics.videosift.com/video/Crowd-Celebrates-bin-Laden-s-Death-in-front-of-White-House

I may be okay with bin Laden being dead, but I'm a lot less comfortable with the big raucus cheering crowd. A man was killed, we shouldn't be celebrating like that.

Still, it's a huge catharsis for the American people. Osama bin Laden has been an uncomfortable reminder of the limits of American power. How could we be the greatest, best country if we couldn't even catch one man living in a cave?

It's been gnawing at us for the last decade. And now he's dead. Not of old age, not without us knowing it for sure, but clearly, definitively.

Soon, we'll have the grisly pictures of Osama's corpse on the front pages of our newspapers. All the indignity of his head on a pike, without seeming quite as barbaric.

People's minds will change because of this. I don't know if they'll finally stand up and demand that we declare victory, and bring our wars to a close. I don't know if people will finally relax, and stop their paranoia about terrorism, or at least let it start to fade.

I just hope it doesn't renew our appetite for war...that really would be tragic.

Wow another flash mob.

Is this where flash mobs finally end their 15 minutes of fame because of overuse?

I'm glad I waited for it.

The first minute had me thinking "I hate this flash mob shit"

>> ^DerHasisttot:

meh... they switched from (imo) bad music to better bad music (imo).
They should have used some good old punk song (imo).


the piont is not in the "quality" of the music , the point is its having a go against the shit flash mob adverts.

I agree though some classic punk might have been better and would have convoyed things more than the DNB track they used.