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Person on Frederick Douglass Bridge, bridge close as police respond

By
Updated  May 1, 2026 3:39pm EDT
Washington, D.C.
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • Police are responding to an active barricade situation on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge involving a person on top of the structure.
    • MPD negotiators are on scene working to resolve the situation.
    • Authorities are asking the public to avoid the area as the incident continues.

WASHINGTON - Police are responding to an active barricade situation on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, where a person has climbed onto the structure, according to authorities. 

What we know:

The Metropolitan Police Department is on the scene of a barricade situation involving a subject who walked on top of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.

MPD negotiators have responded and are actively working to resolve the situation.

Officials are urging the public to avoid the area as the incident unfolds.

Dig deeper:

A user on X posted photos from what appears to be the top of the bridge, claiming to be the person "occupying" the bridge as an act of protest. 

Guido Reichstadter, a Florida native, scaled the Frederick Douglass Bridge in 2022 to protest the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Reichstadter was on the bridge for over 24 hours in 2022 before being taken into custody by MPD. 

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released information about the identity of the individual or what led to the situation.

It is also unclear how long the response may last or whether any closures are in effect.

Washington, D.C.News