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Dissent NewsWire
Defending Rights & Dissent Statement on Judge’s Refusal to Dismiss #J20 Felony Charges
Defending Rights & Dissent expresses its deep sense of dismay that a DC Superior Court Judge has refused to dismiss charges against participants in a counter-inauguration protest. The currently nearly 200 defendants face multiple felony charges carrying up to decades in prison for participating in a First Amendment protected assembly.
Groups to Congress: Put Police Militarization On Hold and Do Some OVERSIGHT!
The letter states, “We are dismayed that, after years of advocacy and dialogue, we are once again returning to an era in which federal agencies will operate these programs virtually unchecked.”
Sound and Fury
Providing law enforcement with military-grade equipment produces a dangerous, warrior mentality that could encourage more aggressive policing. Military equipment is designed to be used against an enemy, so if local police are given access to weapons being used by soldiers fighting ISIS in Afghanistan, it’s not that far a of logical jump to see an environment where unarmed public demonstrators are perceived as a threat.
CVE Is Not Our Friend
CVE programs combine profiling, surveillance, censorship, and even thought control. They aren’t the right tool to help us fight white supremacy, because they have been, and will continue to be, used to enforce institutional white supremacy.
DRAD to Congress: Don’t Single Out Charities Based on Religious Affiliation
Amendment No. 115 to HR 3354, if passed, this amendment would cut off all federal government funding to Islamic Relief Worldwide. Approving this amendment would be taking the unprecedented step of singling out an individual non-profit organization for legislative exclusion from participation in programming with US foreign assistance funds when there is no legal basis for the exclusion.
Defending Rights & Dissent, Center for Constitutional Rights Release First Comprehensive Report on Ag-Gag Laws
This landmark report discusses ag-gag laws in historical and political context, catalogues an earlier wave of ag-gag legislation, examines each recent law in detail, explores constitutional concerns and current lawsuits, and documents several successful campaigns to defeat ag-gag legislation.
Resistance Cities Coalition Grows
What do communities of color, environmentalists, animal rights activists, civil rights activists, immigrant communities, Muslims, the labor movement, and a host of others all have in common?
Are Your Police Willing Foot Soldiers in Trump’s FBI?
State and local agencies participate in JTTFs under secret agreements and they operate under the direction, and usually under the rules and guidelines, of the FBI.
No, Donald Trump Can’t Declare Antifa a Terrorist Group
A WhiteHouse.Gov petition asking for Antifa to be declared a terrorist organization has exceeded the number of signatures that in theory mandates the White House to respond. It is riddled with misunderstandings of the First Amendment and US anti-terrorism law.
“Blue Racism:” Police Accountability Opponents Latest Shameful Attempt At Stifling Dissent
The bizarre assertion of blue racism is a new low, but it plays on a similar theme we’ve seen time and time again.