Today’s rallies dispelled my melancholy. Many people came out; the crowd was angry and cheerful. There were far more cops than in previous years. They worked without brutality, but with enough determination. People were learning how to link arms on the fly, trying to beat back their own. There were few posters and flags; they didn’t come out to show off, but to push with their mass.

Videos where cops are sprayed with pepper, pelted with snowballs, or simply punched in the face are particularly motivating. I cowardly took the spray out of my pocket before leaving, but next time I will definitely bring it. And perhaps I will even look for an occasion to use it. It feels that this time, if criminal cases are filed, they won’t be fabricated or based on plastic cups, but for real. And I have a strange feeling that such cases will likely fuel the people rather than intimidate them. Yes, of course, I am recording this now while the trail is hot and the adrenaline-fueled memories are fresh. But people are already mentally preparing to come out in a week, if not sooner, and their adrenaline-fueled memories are also fresh. So, an escalation on the part of the protesters is quite likely, and that is exactly what is needed for a chance of success.

Special thanks to that young man, who remains unknown to me, who prevented my detention by grabbing me and shouting, “Hands off, she’s my girlfriend!” And the cop, characteristically, took his hands off. That’s how the homstead works)))