SIGN to DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST DC JAN 20 TRUMP RESISTERS
The media spent last year rightly calling Donald Trump a racist, sexist xenophobe and bully. The Atlantic called him Mussolini, Politico called him Pinochet, and NY Magazine called him Adolf Hitler. We could see for ourselves in his wild statements during the campaign that the man was a monster. Why wouldn’t people resist?
Tens of thousands responded and came to D.C. They faced thousands of militarized police, roadblocks, checkpoints and Trump’s fascist supporters.
Five blocks from the White House and close to permitted rally sites militarized police units swept in on a diverse crowd at an intersection. They were barricaded for 8 hours and gassed with chemical agents. The police leveled the fraudulent and highly political charge of ‘Felony Riot’ on all 216 people. But NO riot took place! Those arrested now face 10 years in prison, $25,000 in fines and felony records. The police have no proof of guilt. Instead they gave everyone the exact same felony charge. In their frantic search to find guilt police confiscated and have kept all cell phones and electronic equipment. Those swept up include journalists, legal observers, medics, everyday people walking down the street and activists willing to get in the streets to resist oppression.
These serious charges are meant to chill the growing movement against Trump’s egregious acts. Hundreds of thousands are pouring into the streets across the country to protest the ban on Muslims, the restart of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL),racist police killings the attack on the Affordable Care Act, and other acts that put us all at risk.
It is essential for the movement as a whole to come to the defense of all the militant resisters of the Black Lives Matter Movement, the DAPL Pipeline Water Protectors and the Immigrant Rights activists and all other resisters.
Hundreds of millions of Americans are disgusted with the prospect of Klu Klux Klan sympathizer Jeff Sessions running the Justice Department. The DOJ will be prosecuting those arrested. Jeff Sessions, who once wanted to sentence marijuana dealers to death, will be the man ultimately responsible for prosecuting 200 people with10 years in jail for a trash can fire and some minimal property damage blocks away.
We must say NO! A collective defense of all those who oppose Trump’s agenda is necessary. But first, we must join in one unified voice to demand the Department of Justice immediately drop ALL charges against the January 20th Trump resistors.
Text of Petition:
Office of the United States Attorneys
Department of Justice
Dear U.S. Attorney for District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips,
I urge you to drop the charges against more than 200 people arrested in DC on January 20.
On January 20 tens of thousands of people arrived in DC to support and to protest the January 20 Inauguration of Donald Trump. At one intersection Washington D.C. Police arrested more than 200 people. They were charged with felony riot, although no riot took place.
The January 20th police actions were in violation of all Washington D.C. policing guidelines and First Amendment protections. People were sprayed with burning chemical agents, held barricaded on the street for many hours and denied access to a lawyer. Those arrested now face 10 years in prison, $25,000 in fines and felony records. The arrested includes journalists, legal observers working with the National Lawyers Guild, medics, and everyday people.
On January 20 thousands of people were involved in First Amendment protected free speech demonstrations.
I am determined to oppose all repression against those resisting Trump, including the Black Lives Matter movement, the DAPL pipeline water protectors, the Immigrant Rights activists, prisoners and all other resisters. I urge you to uphold the right to protest and free speech by dropping all the charges against the DC Jan 20 Trump resisters NOW.
Sincerely,
<your signature>
