Latest news with #MikeLitterst
New York Times
7 days ago
- General
- New York Times
National Park Service to Close Dupont Circle in Washington During Pride Event
The National Park Service will close the park at Dupont Circle, a gathering place for the city's L.G.B.T.Q. community, during a major Pride Month event this weekend that is already grappling with cancellations and pulled corporate sponsorships. The event, WorldPride, is an international celebration of the L.G.B.T.Q. community that is held each June in a different city. Washington won the bid for this year's edition, which began in mid-May and runs through Sunday, in 2022. The Park Service will fence off the Dupont Circle park during WorldPride celebrations from Thursday to Monday as a 'public safety measure,' said Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the agency, in a statement first shared on Monday. The statement cited 'a history and pattern of destructive and disorderly behavior' in the park during previous Pride celebrations, including vandalism of the park fountain in 2023. The last WorldPride event in the United States, in New York City six years ago, was largely peaceful. 'Five million people, and there was almost not a single incident,' Mayor Bill de Blasio said at the time. The Park Service said it was closing the park in response to a request from Washington's police force, and that the closure was in line with President Trump's executive order in March to protect historic national monuments. Some L.G.B.T.Q. residents and at least one elected official responded on social media by calling on Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is set to march in the city's Pride Parade this weekend, to open the park. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Dirt bikes, ATVs driven around World War II memorial in Washington, DC: video
People on dirt bikes and ATVs were seen driving inside the World War II memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., over the weekend. Video posted on X showed at least three people driving around the outdoor memorial late Saturday night. The United States Park Police is aware of the video, according to Fox 5 Dc. Nyc Vandals Who Defaced Wwi Statue, Burned American Flag Should 'Learn Their History,' Veterans Group Says "We are currently reviewing security footage to identify potential suspects. The National Park Service strongly condemns activities like the ones seen in the video that disrespect the solemnity of the National Mall's memorials," said National Park Service's Mike Litterst. Veteran David Fields told FOX 5 that the acts seen in the video were "disgraceful." Read On The Fox News App Portland Memorial Dedicated To City's Fallen Police Officers Vandalized: 'Startling And Ugly' "This is just as sacred as Arlington National Cemetery. And to have people riding motorcycles around there, was just a lack of respect," Fields said. Laws in D.C. prohibit the use of ATVs on public streets and in the National Mall area, but the Metropolitan Police Department said officers won't pursue the vehicles because of the department's chase policy. Earlier this month in the nation's capital, two Metro police officers were hit by an ATV rider in northeast D.C. That driver fled the scene. Fox News Digital has reached out to the National Park Service for article source: Dirt bikes, ATVs driven around World War II memorial in Washington, DC: video
Fox News
02-04-2025
- Fox News
Dirt bikes, ATVs driven around World War II memorial in Washington, DC: video
People on dirt bikes and ATVs were seen driving inside the World War II memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., over the weekend. Video posted on X showed at least three people driving around the outdoor memorial late Saturday night. The United States Park Police is aware of the video, according to FOX 5 DC. "We are currently reviewing security footage to identify potential suspects. The National Park Service strongly condemns activities like the ones seen in the video that disrespect the solemnity of the National Mall's memorials," said National Park Service's Mike Litterst. Veteran David Fields told FOX 5 that the acts seen in the video were "disgraceful." "This is just as sacred as Arlington National Cemetery. And to have people riding motorcycles around there, was just a lack of respect," Fields said. Laws in D.C. prohibit the use of ATVs on public streets and in the National Mall area, but the Metropolitan Police Department said officers won't pursue the vehicles because of the department's chase policy. Earlier this month in the nation's capital, two Metro police officers were hit by an ATV rider in northeast D.C. That driver fled the scene. Fox News Digital has reached out to the National Park Service for comment.
Fox News
29-03-2025
- Fox News
Travel do's and don'ts for DC cherry blossom season amid peak blooms: 'Pack your patience'
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., officially reached peak bloom on Saturday, with travelers and tourists from far and wide flocking to the nation's capital for a close-up view. Mike Litterst, spokesperson for the National Park Service and its National Mall and Memorial Parks, told Fox News Digital that 70% of the trees around the tidal basin are in blossom. (See the video at the top of this article.) Just how long the trees stay in bloom, said Litterst, is very much dependent on the weather. "We've got some really warm temperatures right now," said Litterst. It was in the "80s today, [will be in the] 70s the next two days, rain, maybe a thunderstorm coming," he added. "All of that is a recipe for a shorter peak bloom, because the warmer temperatures will speed the leaves, replacing the blossoms." Each year the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival, celebrating the blossoming of the trees that were gifted from Japan to this country in 1912. The blossoms generally last for four weeks. Litterst said it's always a big time of year when the D.C. blossoms hit their peak bloom time. About 1.5 million people travel to D.C. during the festival each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "This year, especially, it coincides with the Blossom Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds, and it's the home game for the Washington Nationals, so it has brought a lot of people to downtown D.C. today," said Litterst on Saturday. Litterst said that NPS does the best it can to prepare — but there are also a few things travelers can keep in mind. "We always encourage people, don't drive — take [the] Metro when you can. Most of the roads and the infrastructure here were designed back in the 1930s and 1940s, and there's water on all sides." He advised, "You always want to pack your patience, no matter how you're coming down here, because it is going to take you longer to get from point A to point B than you're thinking." Fox News Digital also spoke with visitors this weekend who traveled to Washington to catch the peak blooms. A group of three friends said they were all visiting from Pennsylvania. "The trees are beautiful, but it's busy," said one woman. Another woman said the blossoms are "gorgeous." "There's a lot of people. We were not expecting that many," said the husband. His wife added that people came "to take a lot of pictures, because everybody's crowding you and nobody lets you even get a picture in. But, you know, you do your best." Two 15-year-olds said that they'd traveled from Philadelphia and were seeing the blooms for the first time. "It's worth it because it's so pretty." "It's really busy, but I think it's worth it because it's so pretty," said one of them. The other one shared her belief that they'd taken over 100 photos so far. "We're gonna take, like, over 1,000 more," the first one chimed in. A man from Staten Island, New York, said it was his first time ever in Washington, D.C. "I think it's really beautiful and it's very nice to be here. It's very clean, everyone's friendly and the environment's nice," he said. National Cherry Blossom festivities run through April 13.
