Statement in response to Judge Leibovitz’s refusal to dismiss our charges

By Defend J20 Resistance

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Inauguration Day (J20) defendants continue to stand in solidarity with each other and against state repression despite Thursday’s denial of a motion to dismiss our charges filed by our defense on July 27th.

An overwhelming majority of J20 defendants remain committed to “points of unity” which include a refusal to testify or cooperate with the state against any of our co-defendants.

We did not need to “politicize” our cases; the federal government has done that for us. By conducting a mass arrest, charging over 200 people with eight identical felonies, and threatening us with 75 years in prison for protesting in the streets, the state is escalating their war on dissent.

Everyone should be concerned about the precedent this case sets. Free expression is at stake, and not just for black-clad radicals. Anyone who stands up and opposes the Trump administration is at risk unless we put an end to this legal charade.

The first trials in this case start in November of 2017 and we need your support. Please:

• Join us in calling on the government to drop the charges!
• Join us in condemning the violent acts of police and the unlawful mass arrest they carried out. Police misconduct must be investigated before our cases go to trial, otherwise we would be ignoring and giving credence to the true perpetrators of violence.
• Donate to our legal fund.

Also, stay connected via DefendJ20Resistance.org, signing up for our email list or following us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) for additional ways to support defendants as the case develops.