After dinner, my husband was chomping at the bit to get out of the house and he suggested we drive downtown to the mall to see the monuments at night, something we have done many times over the last 40 years, but somehow this time it seemed like such a novel idea.

Traffic was very light by D.C. standards.  All the north/south roads crossing the mall between the Washington  Monument and the Capitol except for the two on the edges were closed off by police cars.  There was no military presence but police vehicles were everywhere and there was the constant noise of helicopters overhead, which I didn't expect. 

The protests continued for the 16th day.  We saw a few protesters headed home with their posters as we drove across Capitol Hill, but for the most part, it was quiet with few people in the areas that we drove through.  (see extra of the mall and Washington Monument.)

Of course I took my camera with me but we only stopped briefly for a minute so I could jump out of the car on 3rd Street to grab a few shots.