佛洛伊德事件在美國持續延燒,各地都出現抗爭示威,隨著示威衝突越演越烈,許多城市紛紛實施宵禁。而在6月1日晚間的華盛頓特區一場和平示威,警民衝突越演越烈的情況下,警察開始包圍群眾,並祭出辣椒水、毆打示威者。
THE POLICE BOXED IN A GROUP OF PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND THEN STARTED HITTING AND MACING PEOPLE. A MAN TOOK SOME OF US INTO HIS HOUSE AND THE POLICE HAVE US TRAPPED. THERE ARE PEOPLE STILL TRAPPED IN THE STREET ON 15th AND SWANN pic.twitter.com/H2B2QCup1o
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
22歲的梅卡(Meka)也在這一片混亂中,就在警察接近的同時,他轉身便看見一名男子打開了家門,示意讓示威者們進去。包括梅卡在內的的70多名抗議者暫時躲進了這個好心人,44歲印度裔的勞伍‧杜貝(Rahul Dubey)家裡,躲避外頭的警察,這一待就是8個多小時。
而在這段期間,街道上的警察以違反宵禁為由,逮捕了大鋪的示威者。警方表示,逮捕這些示威者是為了遏止暴力行為,再加上前兩晚警局也遭到縱火,從周一晚上到周二凌晨這段期間,光是在史旺街上就逮捕了194名示威者。
但就住在當地的杜貝並不這麼認為,眼見這些年輕的抗議者即將被逮捕,他幾乎是立刻打開了門,呼喊示威者進屋,「這沒什麼好選的,人們就在街上被噴灑辣椒水、被毆打、衝撞。」
甚至在人們逃進他家的時候,警察還持續從窗戶往屋內噴辣椒水。這些人只能擠在杜貝家裡,不停用牛奶和水為彼此洗臉。杜貝讓他們安心待在自己家清洗、休息,並吩咐他們絕對不要出去,以免被逮捕,「他們不停尖叫、哭泣和咳嗽。我在華盛頓住了17年,從沒見過這種情景。」
They shot mace at peaceful protesters is a residential neighborhood. The man who took us in is named Rahul Dubey. He gave us business cards in case they try to say we broke in. pic.twitter.com/gKzmrvCa75
— Meka (@MekaFromThe703) June 2, 2020
This is Rahul. Rahul saved 62 DC protesters who were trapped for hours on his block by police. He allowed them to stay all night, fed them, gave them water, charged their phones, and most importantly kept them safe. This was no party, the police through pepper spray canisters pic.twitter.com/ZDpNkfXsoa
— suckmyunicorn (@suckmyunicornD) June 2, 2020
不過,混亂並沒有持續太久,房間裡殘留的辣椒水氣漸漸消散後,其中一名年輕的示威者開始整理秩序,還打電話訂了六個披薩,準備給這些餓肚子的示威者們吃。不過這時警察仍然包圍在杜貝家外,外送來的披薩還被警察扣留。所幸在一些網友的幫助下,成功偷渡了一些披薩和物資進屋。
與此同時,這條街已經貝警察封鎖,街上的其他示威者陸續被困住、逮捕。除了杜貝外,也有好幾戶人家主動開門庇護示威者。
一直到6點天亮前,警察持續在杜貝家門外和他們對峙,甚至一度以有人打911通報為由,要求杜貝開門。「根本沒有人打911!我們只需要食物,屋裡有近百個孩子困在這,這都是你們造成的。」杜貝憤怒的回擊警察。
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN WASHINGTON DC IN 2020!!! SHOW THEM SHOW THEM SHOW THEM SHOW THEM!!!!! #swannstreet THIS IS WHATS GOING ON RT RT REPOST GO FUCKIN CRAZY!! THEY CHANGED THE NAMES FROM SLAVES TO PROTESTORS PEOPLE HAD TO HIDE US IN THEIR HOUSES IN A FUCKIN PANDEMIC!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/6THd5GuIEG
— Immaculate (@PrettyLotongo) June 2, 2020
這段期間,持續有人將杜貝家的情況錄影PO上推特。同樣住在華盛頓的經濟學者法蘭西斯可‧阿爾法雷(Francisco Alvarez)擔心困在史旺街的抗議者的安危,便在社群媒體上求助。
阿爾法雷組織了多名志願者,出動了20輛車到史旺街,等到6點宵禁一結束,便載著抗議者們離開。
「抗議者們安全離開,真的讓人鬆了口氣。」阿爾法雷表示。
梅卡也說,這一頁不是一般的難熬,「我們一直擔心外面仍然有警察躲藏,準備隨時把我們拖出去。」所幸,這些躲進杜貝家的人最後都安全離開,沒有遭到逮捕。
Rahul Dubey, the man who welcomed protesters into his home, gets a round of appause from protesters and supporters @ABC7News @ABC7GMW pic.twitter.com/IDISrnPTcx
— Kristen Powers (@ABC7Kristen) June 2, 2020
via Buzzfeed