Reporters face 70 years in prison over anti-Trump march
Two journalists are among more than 200 people facing felony charges after mass arrests at Inauguration Day rally.
Strickland, Patrick
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/06/reporters-face-70-years-prison-anti-trump-march-170615083432300.html
Date Written: 2017-06-20
Publisher: Al Jazeera
Year Published: 2017
Resource Type: Article
Cx Number: CX21104
The actions of police during the inauguration of Donald Trump and arrest of over 230 people with threat of harsh penalties, including 70 years in prison for two journalists, is tantamount to criminalizing dissent.
Abstract:
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Excerpt: Sam Menefee-Libey of the DC Legal Posse, an activist group that supports the defendants, described the charges as an attempt to frighten those who stand up to the government, as well as the journalists who document protests.
"Including the journalists in the superseding indictment means they aren't just trying to criminalise the resistance of active dissenters but trying to prevent people from getting any sort of description of the events outside the police narrative and characterisation of these actions," he told Al Jazeera.
He added: "Nonetheless, their charges make as little sense as the charges everyone else is facing."
