The Metropolitan Police Department is cancelling all leave and days off for its officers between April 19 and 23 in preparation for the thousands of protestors expected to come to the District to protest the meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank scheduled for those days.
Lt. Brian Bray of the MPD Second District described the IMF and World Bank meetings as a “springboard for protest.”
“Everybody who has any kind of gripe is supposedly going to meet here,” he said.
Bray said that all of the city’s civil disturbance platoons will be activated at the latest by April 19, and all MPD officers will be slated for 12-hour shifts. At least four officers will be present in each patrol area instead of the usual two, Bray said.
Bus platoons will also be stationed throughout the city, including the Georgetown area.
According to Bray, the units stationed in Georgetown are equipped to respond quickly to any actions downtown, but will remain in the Georgetown area if nothing occurs.
Bray expressed concern that this round of protests might be worse than those of this past October because of the current U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and the Middle East. He said that MPD was prepared for possibility of terrorist or violent action.
Preparations are similar to the ones taken by MPD for the last round of IMF and World Bank protests in October 2001. The increased measures were taken in response to the shortage of officers during the IMF/World Bank protests in April 2000.
“We’re prepared for anything and hope for the best,” Bray said.
