DC Settles Trump Inauguration Protest Lawsuits For $1.6 Million

Washington, D.C. – On Monday, D.C. officials agreed to pay to resolve lawsuits filed over police brutality and mass arrests during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on January 20, 2017. Two separate lawsuits brought against D.C. Metropolitan Police (MPD)—one filed by the D.C. ACLU in June…

BLM Plaza Rally on Trump’s Last Day

Washington, D.C. – Dozens gathered at BLM Plaza on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate a new chapter in American history and change in administration. Despite miles of road closures people still found their way to the plaza which is located directly in front of the White…

US Attorney Drops Remaining Trump Inauguration Protest Charges

Washington, DC – Today in DC Superior Court, federal prosecutors filed notice of their intention to drop charges against all remaining defendants facing charges from protests against President Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2017.
All defendants had originally faced felony charges of conspiracy to riot,…

Federal Prosecutors Drop Eight More Trump Inauguration Protest Cases

Washington, DC – Today eight more cases were dropped in the felony dragnet prosecution of protesters mass-arrested during President Trump’s inauguration on January 20th, 2017. Legal motions filed by prosecutors on Wednesday, June 13th, sought to dismiss cases against six defendants who had been scheduled…

Second Trump Inauguration Protest Trial Ends In Acquittals/Mistrials

Washington, DC – The US government has again failed to secure convictions in its mass felony prosecution of anti-Trump protesters arrested during the presidential inauguration on January 20 (J20), 2017. After the first trial ended in full acquittals late last year, the second trial has…

Another Trump Inauguration Protester Acquitted at Trial

Washington, DC – As jury deliberations drag on in the second trial of protesters mass-arrested during President Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2017, another partial verdict was reached in the morning of June 6. Jurors found defendant Seth Cadman not guilty on all charges, with…

More Trump Inauguration Protest Arrestees Have Charges Dismissed

Washington, DC – The case brought by the US Attorney against protesters mass-arrested opposing President Trump’s inauguration suffered several more losses early this week. On Monday morning, federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the remaining charges against 3 defendants who had been scheduled to go to…

Prosecutors Illegally Withheld Evidence From Trump Inauguration Protesters, Judge Finds

Washington, DC – The United States government has officially been put “on notice” for violating the constitutional rights of anti-Trump protesters. While the second trial of people mass-arrested at an “anti-capitalist, antifascist” protest march during President Trump’s inauguration in DC began last week, hearings for…

Second Trump Inauguration Protest Trial Begins

Washington, DC – The second trial of protesters mass-arrested at an ‘antifascist, anti-capitalist’ march during President Trump’s inauguration on January 20 (J20), 2017 has begun in DC Superior Court. After two days of jury selection, the jury was empaneled Tuesday afternoon, and opening arguments began…

DC Police Face Class Action Lawsuit Over Trump Inauguration Mass Arrest

Washington, DC – Last Friday, January 19, a new class action lawsuit was filed against the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) over the mass arrest of over 200 people at a protest during Trump’s presidential inauguration on January 20, 2017.
The first three plaintiffs in…

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Interview: 188 Still Face Decades In Prison For Trump Inauguration Protest

Washington, DC – Despite the clear rejection of their first case by a jury last month, the US Attorney’s Office is continuing to seek multiple felony convictions for nearly every person swept up in a mass arrest at the ‘antifascist and anticapitalist march’ during Trump’s…

ACLU Trump Inauguration Protest Lawsuit Names More Cops, Adds New Plaintiffs

Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)’s District of Columbia branch announced on Tuesday, January 2 that they had “filed an amended complaint against the District of Columbia and its police department for constitutional violations on Inauguration Day.” The modified lawsuit now names…

Jury Finds Six #J20 Defendants “Not Guilty” on All Charges

Washington, DC – A jury in D.C. has found six J20 defendants not guilty on all charges, a major defeat for federal prosecutors in the first full trial. 188 individuals still face trial for participating in the inauguration-day protests against Trump in Washington, D.C. So…

Criminalizing Dissent: J20 Trial Drags On As Jury Deliberations Delayed

Washington, DC – A month after trial first began on November 20, the jury is still out in the case of the first six defendants among those mass arrested by DC Metro Police (MPD) at the anti-capitalist anti-fascist march during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on…

Criminalizing Dissent: Trump Inauguration Protest Trial Enters Fourth Week

Washington, DC – Several weeks into the first trial of the individuals who were mass arrested during President Trump’s inauguration in DC on January 20 (J20), the prosecution is almost ready to rest its case. The arrests occurred at 12th & L streets when police…

Criminalizing Dissent: Contested Evidence Introduced in J20 Trial Testimony

Washington, DC – The first trial of people mass-arrested during protests against Donald Trump’s Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2017 is well underway. Jurors are continuing to hear testimony from prosecution witnesses called by Assistant US Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff and Rizwan Qureshi.
The current trial…

J20 Indictment Challenged in Motions Hearing; One Count Dismissed

Washington, DC – A long-awaited motions hearing took place on Thursday, July 27 in the case of the 197 people facing 75-80 years in prison after being mass arrested in the vicinity of the anti-capitalist, anti-fascist ‘black bloc’ protest march during Donald Trump’s inauguration as…

J20 Defendant Dane Powell Sentenced to Four Months in Federal Prison

Washington, DC – After pleading guilty to several felonies in April, Dane Powell was sentenced to four months in federal prison by Judge Lynn Leibovitz in DC Superior Court today. He will do four months of a thirty-six month sentence with two years of supervised…

Protesters Face 80 Years as US Attorney Brings Unprecedented Mass Felony Charges

Washington, DC – Dozens of the over two hundred people arrested protesting President Trump’s inauguration on January 20 (‘J20’) have appeared in court over the last two weeks.
(Content Advisory: Sexual Assault)
The arrests took place on the morning of January 20 during an ‘anti-capitalist/anti-fascist’…

214 Indicted on Felony Riot Charges for Protesting Trump Inauguration

Washington, D.C. – Dozens of protesters appeared in District of Columbia Superior Court on Tuesday, March 14, to face charges stemming from a mass arrest conducted by police during demonstrations on the streets of D.C. against the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on January…

Denver’s #J20 Protests: A Day of Unity, Militance, and Confrontation

Denver, CO – On January 20, 2017, community members organized multiple protests in Denver to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump as President. Unicorn Riot was live throughout the day.
https://vimeo.com/388627363
Around 8 AM, two separately organized protests gathered at the Colorado State Capitol and…