District 1 MPD Officers Shut Down Lincoln Park Fireworks Display…
….And Confiscate Fireworks They Say Are Illegal
Early in the Evening….
…And Later
DC Police Shut Down Lincoln Park Firework Celebration
by Larry Janezich
Last night at about 10:10pm, a half dozen MPD officers from the First District closed down a DIY firework celebration in Lincoln Park, citing numerous complaints from neighbors. Police confiscated several bags of fireworks which they said were illegal.
According to one participant, the informal neighborhood July 4th celebration has been a community tradition for more than 20 years. It was unclear whether the move was a part of a larger crackdown on fireworks in the city, but police on the scene said that similar celebrations “all over the city” were being shut down tonight, not just Lincoln Park.
The fireworks started around 9:00pm, with standard fare widely available at licensed firework stands. As the evening progressed, larger fireworks which may have been responsible for complaints began to be set off. According to a recent WRC-TV news report, “In general, any fireworks or firecrackers that explode — such as cherry bombs, roman candles, or floral shells — are illegal.” Some of the fireworks set off last night seemed to fall in that category.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
Perfect illustration of the tension between stuff we used to do, which we saw as harmless, perhaps as individual rights, vs. the notion that people can get hurt by fireworks. We have all read about children that have been blinded or burned by unofficial fireworks. Not trying to be a nanny, just pointing out that there really is a tension here.
Many of us, back in the day, also lit off our own fireworks, maybe we didn’t think there was any harm, maybe we thought that if we followed directions, there wasn’t harm, or maybe there was just a little bit of thrill seeking — yes, you just might get hurt if things went wrong, maybe for some young men that was part of the allure.
That view of life has changed, on balance for the better, it seems to me, even if we have lost a bit of informal tradition.
Ridiculous. People are allowed to take guns almost everywhere in many states across the counrty, but family gatherings at Lincoln Park with firecrackers are illegal. If there were only a National Fireworks Association to advance our right to bear and explode incendiaries.
It’s never a good party unless the cops show up.
Can’t let people have fun.
I was there from 9-10, and it was the usual wild, crazy, fun time. I and most of the neighbors had left by the time the cops showed up (and, yeah, there were some pretty major blasts as the night went on).