These snowy scofflaws don't care what Congress thinks. Photograph by Benjamin Freed.
It’s a rare day when the will of District residents trumps that of Congress, but participants in the Great Sled Uprising of March 5 pulled it off. After years of being told they couldn’t sled down the west side of Capitol Hill—because of a ban enforced since 9/11 in the name of “national security”—a band of kids on a snow day (and their parents) took to their toboggans in defiance. A few Capitol Police officers milled about down the street but made no attempt to stop the little ruffians. In May, the House approved an appropriations bill instructing the cops to ignore renegade sledders in favor of chasing, you know, actual criminals.
This article appears in our July 2015 issue of Washingtonian.
The Capitol Hill Sledders Are DC’s Most Successful Protesters in Decades
It’s a rare day when the will of District residents trumps that of Congress, but participants in the Great Sled Uprising of March 5 pulled it off. After years of being told they couldn’t sled down the west side of Capitol Hill—because of a ban enforced since 9/11 in the name of “national security”—a band of kids on a snow day (and their parents) took to their toboggans in defiance. A few Capitol Police officers milled about down the street but made no attempt to stop the little ruffians. In May, the House approved an appropriations bill instructing the cops to ignore renegade sledders in favor of chasing, you know, actual criminals.
This article appears in our July 2015 issue of Washingtonian.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Georgetown Cupcake Shut Down by DC Health Department
More Physicians Are Going Concierge. Are Longer Visits and 24-7 Access Worth the Fees?
Bruno, the French Bulldog Taken at Gunpoint, Found Dead
Honest Tea Is Being Scrapped by Coca-Cola. Its Founder Has a Plan.
Donald Trump and Ketchup: A History
Washingtonian Magazine
August 2022: Taco Town
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This August
Why Do We Care So Much About Presidential Pooches?
The Tiny DC Art Space With a 20-Year History
Telling the Stories of 7,700 People Buried at Arlington Cemetery
More from News & Politics
Peek Inside Ryan Zimmerman’s Former $7.9M Home, Which Hit the Market This Week
You Won’t Believe What This 27-Year-Old Spends Weekly on Food
Two-Plus Years Into the Pandemic, Our Home Offices Are Still Causing Aches and Pains
Bruno, the French Bulldog Taken at Gunpoint, Found Dead
Austin Tice Abduction Anniversary Will Be Marked by National Press Club Event
Honest Tea Is Being Scrapped by Coca-Cola. Its Founder Has a Plan.
That Time Congressman Mark Pocan Did Magic Tricks for Uzi-Toting Guerrillas
Washington Wizards Reintroduce Classic Uniforms