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DC opens holiday market amid violence and drug concerns
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and city leaders kicked off the 19th Annual Downtown Holiday Market Friday. The celebration comes on the heels of yet another crime spike as the District continues to see total violent crime at nearly 40%. FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez has the latest.
WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told an audience "The state of our city is strong" at Friday’s ribbon-cutting event, officially kicking off the 19th Annual Downtown Holiday Market. And the mayor received an applause.
The mayor also told the audience that downtown visits increased to 78% of the pre-pandemic level.
"We’re working every single day to make sure that we have strong finances, great schools, great public planning and that we’re working together hand in hand to make sure every part of Washington D.C. is safe," Mayor Bowser said.
This is not the same sentiment Ward 5 ANC Commissioner Kathy Henderson had on Thursday night, after a shooting in her community.
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The ANC commissioner is among those, once again, calling on the mayor to request the National Guard to help assist D.C. police in getting a handle on D.C. crime.
On Thursday, D.C. Police responded to five people being shot in five hours. As of Friday, the department says 244 people have been murdered in the District — the highest number of murders the city has seen since 2003.
The mayor’s comments also arrive after she declared two public emergencies on youth violence and opioids earlier this week.
"We’re supposed to be pivoting into celebrating the holiday season, but citizens continue to be afraid," Henderson told FOX 5 the night before.
Earlier this week, Mayor Bowser was asked about everything being done to address D.C. violence not seeming to work. Her response had to do with containing to push until the "ecosystem corrects itself."
When FOX 5 asked how long it would take, Bowser said, "We’re working on it every single day."
In response to a question about whether something drastic needs to be done to address the level of gun violence, she replied: "I talk about what we’re doing every single day."
Damon Donelson — who told FOX 5 he was born and raised in D.C. and is now a Georgetown Pivot Program Fellow — believes there is important work being done on the ground to address the violence that’s not always seen.
He also says more needs to be done to hear from the youth and families in different communities experiencing different issues in their various neighborhoods. He does not see police arresting their way out of this violence as a full solution.
Donelson was out celebrating the opening of the holiday market on Friday.
"Regardless of what’s going on, even in the face of disaster, Washingtonians are always eager to get into the holiday mood because average life is so dreary throughout the course of the year that, we look for something to celebrate," he said. "So this is the perfect opportunity to come together."
City leaders are hoping the Downtown Holiday Market will help bring people together as well as promote certified, local D.C. businesses. At least 15 of them will be onsite at the holiday market from Friday, Nov. 17 through Dec. 23 at 8th and F Streets Northwest.