Thread by @jgeltzer

THREAD

This 👇 was 3 years ago today.

My @GeorgetownICAP colleagues & I, alongside @MikeSigner & more, sued the unlawful militias that had contributed to violence in Charlottesville exactly 2 months earlier.

And it began a journey that continues. /1 cnn.com/2017/10/12/pol…

A few months after filing our Charlottesville suit, we at @GeorgetownICAP published a catalogue of state laws that prevent unlawful, unsanctioned private armies.

Here's the current version of that report, updated to reflect today's state laws: /2 law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-conten…

We've continued to sue unlawful militias that endanger public safety & chill the exercise of 1st Amendment free expression.

For example, we at @GeorgetownICAP teamed up with @BerncoDa to prevent the unlawful activity of the "New Mexico Civil Guard": /3 cnn.com/2020/07/14/us/…

We've also created fact sheets for all 50 states explaining the laws barring unauthorized private militia groups & what to do if groups of armed individuals are near a polling place or voter registration drive.

Check out your state here: /4 law.georgetown.edu/icap/our-work/…

And we've prepared a toolkit discussing legal principles, best practices, & creative solutions upon which local jurisdictions may draw to protect public safety while respecting constitutional rights.

Take a look here: constitutionalprotestguide.org/ICAP-Protest_a… /5

Finally, check out my @GeorgetownICAP colleague Mary McCord's @nytopinion piece on how the plot against Michigan's Governor reveals the dangers of unaccountable, unlawful private militias: /6 nytimes.com/2020/10/08/opi…

This is ultimately a struggle to ensure that government--not private actors--have a monopoly on the use of legitimate force in our society.

That means it's a struggle for core principles of our democracy.

That struggle continues. /END