Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Local Stores Vandalized During Labor Protest

Georgetown was taken by storm Friday night.

With streets drenched by rain, M Street and parts of Wisconsin Avenue were shut down for several minutes around 9:30 as dozens of protesters marched in opposition to an international finance meeting taking place this weekend, vandalizing two retail establishments and injuring a woman on the 1200 block of Wisconsin, according to multiple news sources.

Protestors threw bricks at the storefronts of Abercrombie and Fitch and United Colors of Benetton, breaking a window in each and hitting a bystander in the head.

Metropolitan Police Department Executive Director of the Office of Communications Tracie Hughes said that two protesters were arrested.

The protest, which coincided with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s Annual Meetings in downtown D.C., started at Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom at 9 p.m. Protesters then started marching up Pennsylvania Ave., continuing on M Street and turning onto Wisconsin Ave. until they hit P Street. The protesters chanted and carried signs criticizing the World Bank and IMF while standing with arms linked and faces masked by black bandannas.

Most stores in the Georgetown business district took safety precautions in anticipation of the protest. Gap, Abercrombie and Fitch, United Colors of Benetton, Restoration Hardware and the Puma Store all closed before 7 p.m. on Friday, well in advance of their scheduled closing times. Many stores boarded up their glass doors and windows with plywood.

Sequoia Restaurant, Nathan’s Restaurant and The Philadelphia Pizza Company all stayed open during their regular business hours Friday night. Managers there said the protest did not reach these establishments and that business was not affected.

“I was expecting something, but nothing happened,” Philadelphia Pizza Company Manager Matt Kochak said. “We didn’t see any protests at all.”

PUMA Store Manager Gayani Ekanayake, however, said the decreased customer traffic and early closings on Friday were disruptive to business as many of the cross streets around M Street were closed to traffic.

“Most of the streets were blocked off,” Ekanayake said. “We didn’t have as much foot traffic as we usually do on a Friday.”

Department of Public Safety Director Darryl Harrison said that although DPS posted additional officers on Friday night in anticipation of the protest, there were no conflicts on campus.

“It didn’t have any impact on our university,” he said.

Protests continued Saturday and Sunday at the World Bank and IMF headquarters downtown without any further violent incidents.

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