PRESS RELEASE - Increased Police Harassment Unites Inauguration Day Defendants with Those Fighting ICE Raids and Deportations
By PRESS RELEASE
January 18, 2018
Defend J20 Resistance
For Immediate Release: January 18, 2018
Contact:
Sam Menefee-Libey of DC Legal Posse : 909.576.3113 / sml47@protonmail.com
Increased Police Harassment Unites Inauguration Day Defendants with Those Fighting ICE Raids and Deportations
Press conference Friday 9 a.m. with Sanctuary DMV and J20 supporters, 11:30 a.m. hearing for next three J20 trial groups
Washington, DC – Twenty-two of 188 defendants still facing trial on felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from the Inauguration Day (J20) protests will have a status hearing on Friday, January 19 at 11:30 a.m. at DC Superior Court before Chief Judge Robert Morin. This will be the first hearing after a jury acquitted six Inauguration Day defendants of all charges in December.
In advance of Friday’s hearing, Inauguration Day defendants and their supporters will join Sanctuary DMV for a press conference in front of the courthouse at 9 a.m. The two groups are standing in solidarity with each other as targets of government harassment and intimidation, pushing back against the Trump administration’s political prosecutions and anti-immigration policies, including ICE raids, deportations and detentions.
What: Rally/Press conference opposing J20 prosecutions, ICE raids, deportations and detentions
When: Friday, January 19, 9 a.m. press conference / 11:30 a.m. hearing for J20 defendants
Where: H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Ave NW, Washington, DC, Room 315
Defend J20 Resistance and Sanctuary DMV are coming together to resist the increased targeting of undocumented immigrants, protesters and political organizers. The recent wave of ICE raids and deportations across the country along with the aggressive prosecution of Inauguration Day protesters shows the extent the Trump administration is willing to go to attack immigrants, refugees, communities of color, as well as its political opponents.
In December, a DC jury acquitted six Inauguration Day defendants of all charges, including rioting, conspiracy to riot and property damage. Yet, the US Attorney’s Office said it will continue to try the remaining 188 defendants, despite the millions of dollars it will cost. Twenty-two defendants from three trial groups will have a status hearing on January 19 in order to re-assign judges and attend to outstanding scheduling matters such as a date for the trial of seven defendants, which was postponed after the first set of trials ran longer than expected. An international day of solidarity will be held on January 20, the anniversary of the protests, launching a broader week of solidarity and fundraising.
Sanctuary DMV is a feminist anti-imperialist group of concerned community members dedicated to defending safe spaces for immigrants and targeted communities in the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia) area. Sanctuary DMV is a group of documented and undocumented people in solidarity to resist the Trump administration’s policies of targeting and deporting millions of immigrants, as well as discriminating against marginalized communities. #
Defend J20 Resistance is a large group of felony defendants arrested on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC and their supporters who have all agreed not to testify against each other and are working together to collectively defend themselves. DefendJ20Resistance.org is a product of their work.