By 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
December 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 |
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.