Thus far, the J20 case has been a humiliating fiasco for the state. The first six defendants were declared completely innocent, forcing the prosecutors to drop the charges against 129 more defendants despite their vow to try every single one. But 59 people still face six felony and two misdemeanor charges each, and the case is far from over.

The next trial block begins on April 17. The prosecution aims to convict alleged organizers and DC-area locals in hopes of setting a precedent criminalizing ordinary political activity as conspiracy. If they succeed, it will move the political climate in the US one step closer to Putin’s Russia.

In response, we’ve designed a new poster supporting the J20 defendants. We also announce a call-in campaign for April 2-3 and a day of solidarity on April 10.

Poster: The J20 Prosecution—Trumped up Charges

We’ve prepared a new poster emphasizing that the J20 charges are a baseless attempt to terrorize people out of standing up to the Trump regime. Please print these out and post them everywhere!

The poster reads:

On January 20, 2017, while tens of thousands protested the inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington, DC, the police closed off an entire city block and arrested everyone on it. The arrestees were all charged with 8 felonies each. This kind of indiscriminate judicial harassment is unprecedented; it was surely ordered from the top. The first trial ended with all the defendants completely exonerated; the prosecutors were forced to drop the charges against 129 more arrestees. Yet 59 people still face these charges.

The goal is clearly to terrorize protesters out of the streets. Even if every single defendant is declared innocent, the charges themselves are the punishment.

Call in Campaign to Drop the Charges: April 2-3

To underscore how unpopular this prosecution is, supporters have announced a call-in campaign today and tomorrow to pressure the US Attorney’s office to drop the charges against the remaining 59 defendants. If it would help to work from a prepared list of talking points, you can find one here; be careful not to give away any personal information about yourself, lest these bullies come after you as well. Here are some of the malefactors you can call:

• Jennifer Kerkhoff: Lead Prosectuor on the case, Deputy Chief of the Felony Major Crimes Trial Section (202) 252-7380

• Lisa Greene: The Deputy Chief of the Superior Court Division, Kerkhoff’s direct supervisor (202) 252-7485

• Richard Tischner: The Chief of the Superior Court Division, Kerkhoff’s direct supervisor (202) 252-7274

• US Attorney for DC Jessie Liu: The person in charge of the US Attorney’s office, a Trump appointee (202) 252-7566

• Rizwan Qureshi: Assistant J20 prosecutor (general line - use directory/operator) (202) 252-7679

• John Gidez: Chief of the Felony Major Crimes Trial Section, Kerkhoff’s colleague (202) 252-6752

• John Borchert: Assistant J20 prosecutor (esp. Dreamhost and Facebook warrants) (202) 252-7679

Day of Solidarity with J20 Resisters: April 10

We join others in calling for a day of solidarity with the 59 remaining J20 defendants on April 10, 2018. Each and every remaining defendant deserves our full support! You could poster the streets of your town, carry out a banner drop, throw up a graffiti installation, or set up a film screening, presentation, radical trivia night, bake sale, or benefit show.

Until all the charges are dropped, Donald Trump and Jennifer Kerkhoff are publicly humiliated, the US “justice system” is abolished, and every last chicken comes home to roost!

Defend the J20 resistors!