A protester who has been atop the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge for four days said he will descend “soon” after his presence led to traffic delays, with one lane each way closed.
Guido Reichstadter, an activist from Florida, scaled the 168-foot arch on Friday and said he was protesting the war in Iran, President Donald Trump, and artificial intelligence.
Reichstadter posted to social media Sunday evening with a lengthy message that he will soon leave his post, framing his actions as a form of nonviolent protest “for the sake of the world.”
“My purpose here has been to fulfill my duty to the truth- to call on the people of this country to recognize and exercise the revolutionary power within us- the power of collective nonviolent action and non-cooperation with evil- by which we can bring an end to these hateful wars and the murders committed in our names,” he said.
The 45-year-old man climbed the bridge on Friday afternoon, documenting his protest via a series of X posts throughout the weekend.
“Hi my name is Guido Reichstadter & I’m currently occupying the top of the Frederick Douglass memorial bridge in Washington DC,” he first posted after completing the climb. “I’m calling on the people of the United States to bring an immediate end to the Trump regime’s illegal war on Iran and the removal of the regime power through mass nonviolent direct action and non-cooperation.”
Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene shortly after videos of Reichstadter climbing the arch circulated on social media. MPD set up barricades, effectively closing the bridge for several hours while negotiators spoke with Reichstadter.
MPD opened some lanes Friday evening while negotiators continued their attempts to get Reichstadter down from the arch top.
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On Monday morning, two northbound right lanes were still blocked by MPD barricades, with one northbound right lane and all outbound lanes open. MPD urged drivers to take alternative routes until the situation is resolved.
Reichstadter shared a photo of his view from his bridge campsite on Monday morning: