DCAARPR organizers released from custody after wrongful arrests, three charges dropped and one pending
Early in the morning on Sunday, November 2, Kristen Bonner, Merawi Gerima, Terra Martin and Christina Murdoch – four community activists and members of DCAARPR – were released from MPD custody on the heels of wrongful arrests for using First Amendment rights.
The arrests began around 11 p.m. on Saturday night, when activists from the DC Alliance mobilized to the Navy Yard neighborhood in Southeast DC, to support local Black youth being harassed by MPD and federal officers.
Members of the DC Alliance brought megaphones and cameras in accordance with their First Amendment rights to support the community members and deter police from making any wrongful arrests. However, the police instead arrested our activists, for allegedly breaking a noise ordinance and for questioning the targeted arrests of our Black organizers.
After the activists were taken away, community members mobilized to the First District Police Station where they were held. This was coupled with using social media to promote a phone zap campaign, which was supported by national and local organizations. Initial statements from the officers maintained that the activists would be held until Monday, but sustained community support both on site and by phone and social media successfully pressured the cops into freeing all four organizers.
Since then, we’ve been able to get the charges dropped on three of our activists except Christina, who is still being charged for using their first amendment rights. We are planning to pack the court to make it clear that protesting is not a crime. Join us!
