Florida man says he plans to come down from DC’s Frederick Douglass Bridge

The man who scaled the Frederick Douglass Bridge in D.C. said late Sunday that he plans to “soon be leaving the bridge,” as authorities continue to monitor the situation.

Florida‑based activist Guido Reichstadter thanked supporters and described his actions as a form of nonviolent protest in a 10:32 p.m. post on X.

South Capitol Street at the bridge fully reopened after 10 a.m. Monday, WTOP’s Traffic Center reported. All traffic on the bridge returned while Reichstadter remained on the roof.

but traffic restrictions remain. All outbound lanes were open, with one inbound lane available Monday morning.

D.C. Fire and EMS said a high‑angle technical rescue team has been working with police since Reichstadter climbed one of the bridge’s arches Friday afternoon.

The incident shut down South Capitol Street in both directions Friday, disrupting the afternoon commute and traffic ahead of a Washington Nationals baseball game at nearby Nationals Park.

D.C. police previously confirmed to WTOP that Reichstadter is the same person who scaled the same bridge after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.

After that earlier incident, the District Department of Transportation said it planned to install permanent safety measures. But a DDOT spokesman said Friday the agency did not proceed because it “couldn’t find anything safe that wouldn’t create issues for the bridge.”

A map of the area is below.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest.

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Matt Small

Matt joined WTOP News at the start of 2020, after contributing to Washington’s top news outlet as an Associated Press journalist for nearly 18 years.

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