Dissent NewsWire Archives - Defending Rights & Dissent

September 28, 2023

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at September 28, 2023

90 Organizations Tell AG Carr: Drop Cop City RICO Charges!

On September 5, 2023, the Georgia Attorney General’s office handed down an indictment of 61 Stop Cop City protesters, organizers, and 2020 racial justice advocates. The indictment alleges a conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

September 28, 2023

Example of social media surveillance of Stop Cop City events, obtained via FOIA

Published by Cody Bloomfield at September 28, 2023

The Cop City Shuffle: FOIA and Protester Surveillance

The Stop Cop City movement is a lightning rod for political surveillance. Judging from police presence at protests and internal documents showing an extensive social media monitoring apparatus, agencies across Georgia are spying on Stop Cop City. But understanding the

September 28, 2023

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at September 28, 2023

Civil Liberties Advocates’ Statement on PCLOB Section 702 Report

Today, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) issued its long-awaited report on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The report, endorsed by a majority of the Board’s members, sheds new light on abuses over the past

September 26, 2023

Published by Sue Udry at September 26, 2023

Woody Kaplan: Troublemaker with a Heart of Gold

Defending Rights & Dissent has lost a champion. Woody Kaplan, who died at his home surrounded by loved ones, in Boston on August 3, 2023. Over the decades, Woody’s impact on DRAD has been immeasurable. He loved our mission, and

September 7, 2023

A Stop Cop City protest sign says "Don't Let Atlanta Become a Police State"

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at September 7, 2023

Georgia’s latest assault on Stop Cop City: RICO charges and conspiracy theories

Defending Rights & Dissent condemns the RICO indictments leveled against 61 forest defenders, racial justice activists, and community organizers as a tool intended only to repress dissent and suppress political organizing. The indictments, made public by the office of Georgia

August 10, 2023

Graphic of McCarthyite newspaper and Code Pink activist

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at August 10, 2023

McCarthyism is back, and it’s coming for the peace movement

Defending Rights & Dissent condemns in the strongest possible terms the increasing McCarthyite attacks on leftwing and peace groups critical of US-policy towards China. As tensions between the US and China escalate, we have unsurprisingly seen attacks against those who

July 20, 2023

Posters advertising the Stop Cop City referendum

Published by Cody Bloomfield at July 20, 2023

Activists Are Working to Give the People of Atlanta a Chance to Vote on Cop City

Update: A judge has struck residency requirements for petition gathers and reset the clock for signature collection. Copyright, Truthout. Reprinted with permission; original link here. When it comes to Atlanta’s planned $90 million police training center, widely dubbed “Cop City,”

July 18, 2023

Capitol building, where the Rules Committee considered the inclusion of an Espionage Act reform amendment

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at July 18, 2023

House Judiciary Set to Act on Privacy and Press Freedom Bills

UPDATE July 19, 2023: Both bills passed out of committee this morning. The vote on the PRESS Act was unanimous in favor. The Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale vote was unanimous in support, but for a “present” vote from

July 5, 2023

Police car in front of the Defend the Atlanta Forest food distribution.

Published by Cody Bloomfield at July 5, 2023

Organizing in the shadow of the surveillance state

There are few activities more legally risky than deciding to protest Cop City. I’d recommend becoming an opposition journalist in an authoritarian regime, perhaps, or maybe ding dong ditching the White House. Cops have shown no hesitation in assassinating an

June 28, 2023

Published by Cody Bloomfield at June 28, 2023

Stop Cop City is everywhere

Despite the arrests of protesters and their support network, or perhaps because of it, the Stop Cop City movement is everywhere. Driving through Atlanta, I see Stop Cop City wheatpaste posters pasted on abandoned buildings and at highway intersections. “Defend

June 26, 2023

Published by Cody Bloomfield at June 26, 2023

Dozens of Cops Descend on a Peaceful Vigil as the Stop Cop City Week of Action Begins

Twenty to thirty police officers descended on a peaceful vigil to Tortuguita, where protesters lawfully occupied a public park. The first day of the sixth week of action to Defend the Atlanta Forest opened with a lowkey park party. Trying

June 16, 2023

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at June 16, 2023

Honoring Daniel Ellsberg means keeping up the fight

Today, the country lost one of its fiercest champions for peace, disarmament, and press freedom. In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg risked his personal freedom to alert the public that its government had continuously lied to them about the Vietnam War. Dan

June 16, 2023

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at June 16, 2023

Chip Gibbons Discusses Trump Indictment on Democracy Now!

How do we thread the needle between opposing the use of the Espionage Act against whistleblowers and truthtellers, while also fighting to hold figures in power accountable? DRAD Policy Director Chip Gibbons insightfully untangles the need for accountability without legitimizing

June 14, 2023

Donald Trump, who has been indicted under the Espionage Act

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at June 14, 2023

Statement on the Espionage Act Indictment of Donald Trump

Yesterday, Donald Trump pled not guilty to charges related to his storage of classified documents. Charges against Trump include obstructing justice, concealing documents from an investigation, lying, and violating §793 of the Espionage Act by retaining national defense information. Defending

June 8, 2023

UK High Court of Justice, which decided to deny Julian Assange's appeal against extradition.

Published by Defending Rights & Dissent at June 8, 2023

Statement on UK High Court Decision on Assange Extradition

The following statement can be attributed to Chip Gibbons, Policy Director, Defending Rights & Dissent: We are extremely disturbed by today’s decision by a UK High Court Judge to reject Julian Assange’s appeal against extradition to the US. Although we