West Coast J20 Solidarity Tour in Santa Cruz

On January 20th, 2017 at the massive protests in Washington DC against Trump’s inauguration, militarized police attacked and mass-arrested over 200 protestors at an anti-fascist, anti-capitalist march, charging 214 of them with an unprecedented eight felonies.

The first trial against 6 defendants ended with a verdict of not guilty on all charges, forcing prosecutors to drop charges against 129 of the arrested. However, the state is now doubling down against 59 remaining defendants.

In this touring presentation, you'll hear an overview and critical analysis of the case this far, highlighting its role and significance in the changing landscape of political repression in the United States.

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DROP THE CHARGES!
Building solidarity against trumped-up repression

On January 20th, 2017 at the massive protests in Washington DC against Trump’s inauguration, militarized police attacked and mass-arrested over 200 protestors at an anti-fascist, anti-capitalist march, charging 214 of them with an unprecedented eight felonies. Yet even while facing decades in prison, 194 defendants refused to cooperate with prosecutors or accept plea bargains, supporting each other to beat the charges but also to defend the legitimacy of uncompromising resistance to the Trump regime. As a result, the first trial against 6 defendants ended with a verdict of not guilty on all charges, forcing prosecutors to drop charges against 129 of the arrested. However, the state is now doubling down against 59 remaining defendants, hoping to divide the powerful movement that has successfully defended the arrestees. In an era of escalating repression, these charges aim to stomp out protest and resistance through broad conspiracy statutes, demonization of anarchists, and divide-and-conquer tactics.

In this touring presentation, you'll hear an overview and critical analysis of the case this far, highlighting its role and significance in the changing landscape of political repression in the United States. From the broad use of conspiracy law to criminalize all aspects of protest organizing to the dramatic victory against the state in the first trial this past December, the case offers insights into strategies for repression in the new administration, connections between different targeted social movements, and the potential of collective defense to effectively defeat the government's efforts. But most importantly, you'll learn how this case fits into the broader struggle against Trump and the world that made him, and why it is critical that we support the 59 remaining defendants until they all walk free.

http://defendj20resistance.org/
#defendj20resistance

Santa Cruz event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/170164550299040/