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The J20 trials – 214 defendants face felony charges for exercising right of free speech

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The J20 trials – 214 defendants face felony charges for exercising right of free speech

We the people scrawled on burning carBy now, it is clear to all that our current federal leaders are actively attempting to weaken US citizen’s right to free speech.  We see it daily with government claims that all media outlets are “fake news” and attacks against those who exercise their right to free speech (e.g. attacks on NFL players).  But no assault on free-speech has been more blatant and short-sighted than the foray against DisruptJ20 protesters who attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C.  212 defendants facing felony riot charges, up to a decade in prison and a $25,000 fine for their participation in the anti-capitalist, anti-fascist free-speech march, which ended with a mass arrest on the morning of Inauguration Day.

The charges all stem from the single mass arrest of protesters who had taken part in the Disrupt J20 march. It was a typical black bloc march, in which protesters mask their faces and wear all black. More than 500 participants gathered about two miles north of the parade route and surged southward, marching and chanting as a unified force. From the start, defense attorneys said their clients and most others in the group were peacefully protesting, while only a handful peeled off and became violent.  But prosecutors said the demonstration was aimed at destruction, not freedom of expression. Authorities say the group used “black bloc” tactics — wearing dark clothing and hiding their faces with masks and goggles so it would be harder to identify them.  Referring to the dark clothing and masks worn by protesters, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rizwan Qureshi told reporters:

“That sea of black was the getaway car.”

In all, 212 people were charged in connection with the ­riots. Twenty of those people have pleaded guilty and prosecutors have dropped cases against another 20. Another 166 defendants are scheduled for trial, in groups of six or seven, through mid-2018.

I will keep J20 trial information updated here.  See Geek Slop’s Civil Disobedience Handbook for more information on protest and black bloc tactics.

Additional information

Police spray J20 protesters at Inauguration Day ceremonyDecember 21, 2017

The first round of protestors acquitted were Michelle Macchio, 26, of Naples, Fla.; Jennifer Armento, 38, of Philadelphia; Christina Simmons, 20, of Cockeysville, Md.; Alexei Wood, 37, of San Antonio; Oliver Harris, 28, of Philadelphia; and Brittne Lawson, 27, of Pittsburgh.

List of arrestees

Below is the complete list of 231 people arrested at the #Inauguration J20 riots.

Aaron Cantu 28 years old Brooklyn, NY
Aaron Schoen 18 years old Doylestown, PA
Adam Simpson 29 years old Washington, DC
Aleks Lundina 23 years old Hadley, MA
Alessandro Pane 20 years old Hyattsville, MD
Alex Harris 27 years old Reisterstown, MD
Alexa Detter 23 years old Millheim, PA
Alexa Grazio 19 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Alexander Contompasis 33 years old Rensliear, NY
Alexander Penley 46 years old Washington, DC
Alexander Rubinstein 24 years old New York, NY
Alexandra Gedra 28 years old Richmond, VA
Alexandra Krales 28 years old Bronx, NY
Alexei Wood 26 years old Unknown
Alisa Stone 26 years old Grand Rapids, MI
Alvaro Ortiz-Vazquez 22 years old New York, NY
Anastasiya Grishkevich 24 years old Philadelphia, PA
Andrew Joung 23 years old Unknown
Andrew Switzer 43 years old Philadelphia, PA
Anthony Felice 25 years old Wilmington, NC
Anya Harjung 22 years old Newark, DE
Arturo Vasquez 26 years old Baltimore, MD
Ashley Maclaren 28 years old Unknown
Avery Pittman 27 years old Winnewski, VT
Benjamin Carraway 32 years old Denver, CO
Benjamin Freedman-Peel 23 years old Brooklyn, NY
Benjamin Pennacchio 18 years old Pipersville, PA
Bradley Collins 41 years old Boiling Green, VA
Breton Strasburger 22 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Brittne Lawson 26 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Caly Retherford 28 years old Baltimore, MD
Cameron Powell 25 years old Durham, NC
Camilo Pereira 24 years old Baltimore, MD
Carlo Piantini 25 years old New York, NY
Carlos Cabeza 23 years old Brooklyn, NY
Caroline Unger 22 years old Park Ridge, IL
Carson Cates 26 years old Galatia, IL
Casey Webber 28 years old Washington, DC
Cassandra Beale 24 years old Pasadena, CA
Cassidy Plaud 24 years old Manchund, MA
Cheney Orr 26 years old Brooklyn, NY
Chloe Nagy 25 years old Richmond, VA
Christian Valencia 22 years old New York, NY
Christina Simmons 19 years old Cockysville, MD
Christina Winsor 39 years old Bronx, NY
Christopher Akerich 28 years old Salisbury, MD
Christopher Dellacamera 21 years old Brooklyn, NY
Christopher Litchfield 25 years old College Park, MD
Christopher Patrick 21 years old Eldersburg, MD
Christopher Stella 26 years old NC
Cody Stewart 22 years old Clarksville, TN
Colin Flood 28 years old Calars, UT
Colton Richardson 26 years old Savannah, GA
Connor Linden 23 years old Warren, OH
Dana Fraula 28 years old Salisbury, MD
Daniel Filstein 28 years old Unknown
Daniel Kaufman 21 years old Newton, MA
Daniel Meltzer 32 years old Carrboro, NC
Daniel Rengel 23 years old Centreville, VA
David Baghdadi 39 years old Rockville, MD
David Fulkerson 21 years old Annandale, VA
David Silverberg 29 years old Brooklyn, NY
David Stubbs 31 years old Richmond, VA
Deborah Burd 26 years old Fort Wayne, IN
Devin Bartolomed 32 years old Washington, DC
Diane Akerman 33 years old Brooklyn, NY
Duke Mabirou 24 years old Ypsilanti, MI
Duncan Ranslem 27 years old Brooklyn, NY
Dylan Slusarz 22 years old Ashburn, VA
Edward Bickard 24 years old Nesconset, NY
Elisa Yeshin Lee 33 years old New York, NY
Elizabeth Lagesse 29 years old Baltimore, MD
Elizabeth Romaker 24 years old Burlington, VT
Ella Fassler 24 years old Brooklyn, NY
Emeline Phipps 32 years old Richmond, VA
Emily Dicicco 23 years old Philadelphia, PA
Emily Horstman 24 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Emma Engle 26 years old Bronx, NY
Emmeline Wilks-Dupiose 29 years old Brooklyn, NY
Eric Schimmel 26 years old Virginia Beach, VA
Erik Bardo 28 years old Rochester, NY
Erinn Lemkey 34 years old Brooklyn, NY
Etkar Surett Junwirth 24 years old Upper Danby, PA
Evan Engel 30 years old Brooklyn, NY
Faryn Messick 23 years old Baltimore, MD
Gabriel Mielke 20 years old Washington, DC
Gabriella Bruce 19 years old New York, NY
Hanna Demarte 20 years old Chesapeake, VA
Hannah Martin 18 years old Washington, DC
Heather Higby 38 years old Durham, NC
Ian Grape 21 years old Rochester, NY
Isaac Dalto 26 years old Baltimore, MD
Jack Sorensen 18 years old Pittsford, NY
Jacob Cunningham 29 years old Manassas, VA
Jacob Wilkerson 24 years old Annapolis, MD
Jada Young 21 years old New York, NY
James Crombie 20 years old Collinsville, CT
James Hicks 25 years old Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
James Hoopes 30 years old Falls Church, VA
James Sullivan 35 years old Greenbelt, MD
Jared Farley 34 years old Annapolis, MD
Jashua Barnak 29 years old Wilmington, NC
Jayram Toraty 34 years old Vesta, NY
Jennifer Armento 38 years old Philadelphia, PA
Jeremiah Sellers 21 years old Durham, NC
Jeremy Bingham 25 years old Arlington, MA
Jeremy Patten 32 years old Philadelphia, PA
Jesaka Brook’ausler 25 years old Carbundale, IL
Jesse Schultz 65 years old Washington, DC
Jocelyn Mitchell 23 years old Los Angeles, CA
John Baker 58 years old Chicago, IL
John Coursey 28 years old Baltimore, MD
John Flynn 25 years old Langhorne, PA
John Keller 27 years old Fairfax Station, VA
Jonathan Dunlap 29 years old Washington, DC
Jordan Reid 25 years old Nashville, TN
Jordanna Burgess 30 years old Chapel Hill, NC
Joseph Gore 22 years old Worcester, VT
Joseph Lupo 29 years old Queens, NY
Joshhua Betley 28 years old Unknown
Judah Rubin 29 years old Jackson Heights, NY
Kaitlyn Rorke 31 years old Baltimore, MD
Katherine Dunleavy 24 years old Unknown
Kayla Henaghan 18 years old Richmond, VA
Kenneth Delacruz 21 years old New York, NY
Keval Bhatt 19 years old Chesterfield, VA
Kiley Haberman 22 years old Burlington, VT
Kimberly Cain 24 years old Jacksonville, NC
Kristen Asher 32 years old RI
Kristina Kelly 27 years old Portland, CT
Kyle Burcham 18 years old Bumpass, VA
Lan Grant 22 years old Walingford, PA
Layne Puplin 24 years old Booneville, NC
Leah Young 27 years old Durango, CO
Lianne Sherman 21 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Lori Freye 30 years old Grand Rapids, MI
Lori Puglisi 45 years old Washington, DC
Louis Mazzei 46 years old Patchogue, NY
Lucas Wooden 21 years old Wilton, Maine
Luke McGowan-Arnold 19 years old Rockford, IL
Madison Broomer 25 years old Mechanicsburg, PA
Makenna Clark 20 years old Black Mountain, NC
Mally Espaillat 25 years old Chapel Hill, NC
Marisa Matthews 19 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Massey Thomas 32 years old PA
Matthew Fichtner 25 years old Boston, MA
Matthew Fitzpatrick 27 years old Whitney Point, NY
Matthew Hopard 32 years old Brooklyn, NY
Matthew Stearns 30 years old Carbondale, IL
Michael Adkins 60 years old Unknown
Michael Basillas 31 years old New York, NY
Michael Gonzalez 25 years old New York, NY
Michael Loadenthal 33 years old Cincinnati, OH
Michael Webermann 30 years old Baltimore, MD
Michelle Macchio 25 years old Naples, FL
Miriam Zemel 25 years old Brooklyn, NY
Moiree Chiu 20 years old Madison, WI
Molly Carter 28 years old Baltimore, MD
Nathaniel Jaffe 29 years old Philadephia, PA
Nicholas Difazio 22 years old Silver Spring, MD
Nicholas Shepard 32 years old Liberty, TN
Nicholas Webster 19 years old Erie, PA
Nicole Armbruster 33 years old Washington, DC
Nolle Smoot 25 years old Triangle, VA
Nora Walker 24 years old Portland, OR
Oliver Harris 27 years old Philadelphia, PA
Oliver Weilein 22 years old Cedar Falls, ID
Olivia Alsip 23 years old Chicago, IL
Paige McElravy 25 years old Hartsville, SC
Patrick Jones 30 years old Asheville, NC
Payton McDonald 23 years old Ann Arbor, MI
Peter Hyndman 25 years old Philadelphia, PA
Peter Soeller 24 years old Unknown
Philip Brewer 31 years old Arbonale, IL
Phillip Glaser 27 years old Baltimore, MD
Phoenix Godwin 25 years old Savannah, GA
Rachel Russell 24 years old Falls Church, VA
Raghav Sharma 21 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Ramiz Andoni 27 years old Oakton, VA
Randall Setzer 24 years old Durham, NC
Rebekah Schiller 33 years old New York, NY
Richard Allen 20 years old Kent, OH
Robert Eason 41 years old Portland, CT
Robert Matyas 36 years old MI
Robert Miller 27 years old Black Mountain, NC
Robert Toomey 23 years old Springfield, PA
Rosa Roncales 31 years old Richmond, VA
Rudy Martinez 24 years old San Marcos, TX
Ryan Keating 27 years old Philadelphia, PA
Sagen Lancaster 24 years old Ukiah, California
Sahsa Hill 22 years old New York, NY
Saline Golenberg 34 years old Washington, DC
Samir Butt 25 years old Philadephia, PA
Samuel Arambula 28 years old Detroit, MI
Samuel Kitch 26 years old Baltimore, MD
Sara Callahan 29 years old Washington, DC
Sarah Gilbert 26 years old Asheville, NC
Sarah Hailey 34 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Sarah Smithson 18 years old Herndon, VA
Saul Jaffe 29 years old Chicago, IL
Savannah Patterson 24 years old Savannah, GA
Sean Hendley 28 years old Washington, DC
Seth Cadman 25 years old Washington, DC
Shane McParland 30 years old MI
Sharleen Stinger 35 years old Philadelphia, PA
Shawn Westfahl 38 years old Philadelphia, PA
Shay Horse 23 years old Unknown
Soan Steffon 24 years old IL
Spencer Kaaz 21 years old Memphis, TN
Stephanie Randazzo 25 years old Carbordale, IL
Stephen Loughman 26 years old Richmond, VA
Steven Backus 34 years old Raleigh, NC
Sydney Leslie 20 years old Fairfax, VA
Sydnie Stocks 22 years old San Diego, CA
Taylor Zarkin 27 years old FL
Tim Costigan 37 years old Kansas City, MO
Timothy Rose 23 years old Chicago, IL
Tom Aubin 32 years old Pittsburgh, PA
Tovia Shaprio 27 years old Worcester, MA
Traci Dunlap 44 years old Redmond, WA
Trent Fulton 28 years old Blacksburg, MD
Troy Neves 22 years old Newtown, CT
Tylan Paxton 24 years old Woodbridge, VA
Vishal Bajpai 22 years old Millhim, PA
William Amann-Howison 20 years old Richmond, VA
William Bogin 26 years old Bethesda, MD
Zachary Belcher 24 years old Chicago, IL
Zachary Callahan 37 years old Washington, DC
Zachary Vary 26 years old Brooklyn, NY
Zoe Kaseman 24 years old Harrisburg, PA
Sources: DisruptJ20, Defend J20 Protest, Independent UK, Washington Post

1 thought on “The J20 trials – 214 defendants face felony charges for exercising right of free speech

  1. How many were found guilty? Were any found to be associated with “Antifa”? Has anyone, besides me, found it strange that all those that were arrested were from the same cities in their states? Out of 16 people from my state, they all came from 3 areas, which are major college cities, except one.

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