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Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

May 3, 2023 • 15 tweets • 13 min read • Read on X

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@wikileaks

VIDEO THREAD: Supporters of @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange commemorated World Press Freedom Day this afternoon by holding a funeral procession march for press freedom in DC.

"What do we want? Free Assange!" chanted the activists, some of whom carried caskets. "When do we… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@JenChangeFL

The funeral procession for press freedom protest began outside the Department of Justice with @JenChangeFL.

She says Julian Assange's prosecution is "death of part of our First Amendment."

She calls out Biden for saying "journalism is not a crime" at the White House… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@SmurphySuzanne

Organizer @SmurphySuzanne with @AssangeActionDC spoke out in front of the DOJ and offered welcome to @RobertKennedyJr for his recent support for Julian Assange and other journalists and whistleblowers.

She read his tweets and said they are "hitting it out of the park for me."

@DianeSare

Independent New York Senate candidate @DianeSare spoke out for #JulianAssange and his publication of leaked video showing the U.S. military killing two Reuters journalists: "We must not be afraid to face who we are and what we should be and to challenge our fellow Americans."

twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Ruslan Petrovych Kotsaba, a Ukrainian media figure and critic of Ukraine's military who fled to the United States in October 2022, said he is "often called the Ukrainian Assange."

(Kotsaba was sentenced for "obstructing the activities of the armed forces" in 2015 to 3.5 years in… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@nick_brana

Lastly in front of the DOJ: @nick_brana of @PeoplesParty_US described that on Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, "all the biggest journalists in the country gathered at a swanky hotel right here in this city to celebrate press freedoms and liberties in this… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@JosBtrigga

The funeral procession for press freedom rally then marched to the National Press Club, where @JosBtrigga said "our government has been hijacked by tyrannical forces that have censored many people, that have put Julian Assange in prison."

"Now, it is the right and the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@AssangeActionDC

Brian Fouche of @AssangeActionDC described how at a #WorldPressFreedomDay event hosted by Washington Post, "one thing they didn't talk about was any of the problems with freedom of speech and freedom of press in the United States."

"It was only focused on other countries."

twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Kathy Boylan with Dorothy Day Catholic Worker described how she refuses to pay federal taxes (this is a subject she brings up often at anti-war and related rallies in DC) "because our money is being used to fund all of the wars and the torture, all of the crimes against humanity… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@SmurphySuzanne

Organizer @SmurphySuzanne / @AssangeActionDC then quoted @RobertKennedyJr in front of the National Press Club promising to pardon Julian Assange: "The America I love doesn't imprison its dissidents."

"Thank you RFK for standing with Julian Assange and all of the truth-sayers!"

twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The funeral procession for press freedom then marched to the office of Washington Post, where they placed caskets in front of the entrance.

"Freedom for Assange, we shall not be moved!" DC-based singer/activist Luci Murphy led the crowd in singing.

"Just like a tree that's… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@medeabenjamin

Outside the offices of Washington Post, @medeabenjamin of @codepink said #WorldPressFreedomDay should be "Free Assange Day!"

She describes a demonstration today where she managed to interrupt @SecBlinken to demand the dropping of charges against #JulianAssange.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@AnnWinDC

Ann Wilcox @AnnWinDC of @AssangeActionDC described that there are also actions for Assange taking place in other cities such as NYC, LA, and Chicago.

She introduced Leonardo Flores @LeonardoEFA, who said the prosecution of Assange has gone beyond a double-standard.

"The United… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@JosBtrigga

Closing out the funeral procession for press freedom in front of the offices of Washington Post, @JosBtrigga quoted Dante's Inferno: "Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself astray, alone in a dark wood, for the straight and narrow path had been lost."

Jose says… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

@N2Sreports

Here is the full @N2Sreports video of the @AssangeActionDC funeral procession for press freedom demonstration today in Washington DC.

#JulianAssange

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More from @FordFischer

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Dec 31, 2024

BIG THREAD: Today, I attended the preliminary/detention hearing for Brad Spafford, charged with possessing a short barrel rifle.

Federal prosecutors say more charges are coming and that his arrest yielded the "largest seizure of finished explosive devices in FBI history."

https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1869751908652720457

2) I first reported the case December 19 following Spafford's arrest by the feds, who used a Confidential Human Source (CHS) for two years to get the warrant to arrest Spafford for the alleged Short Barrel Rifle.

https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1869751908652720457

3) Rachelann Cardwell, a Suffolk Detective assigned as an officer on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, took the stand today.

She testified that the investigation into Spafford began in January 2023 when the CHS reported Spafford disfiguring his hand with a homemade explosive.

(Photo: Suffolk PD)

Read 23 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Dec 19, 2024

THREAD: On Tuesday, Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) officers with the Norfolk FBI and assistance from the ATF arrested Virginia man Brad Spafford for possessing an unregistered short barrel rifle (SBR).

The arrest was the result of a multi-year Confidential Human Source (CHS).

2) A Confidential Human Source (CHS, commonly known as "informant" or colloquially as "snitch") reported in January 2023 that Spafford lost fingers on Independence Day 2021 "while working with a homemade explosive device."

He says Spafford and friends were making ammunition for "something that Spafford would not be able to do alone."

The informant reportedly saw Spafford's hands "before and after the event" which is confusingly worded; if he saw them in person, then the informant has been around the defendant for more than three years.

If he saw them pre- disfigurement some other way, like a photo, then he still has been around him for at least nearly two years.

3) In May 2023, the informant and Spafford went to a gun range together, each with "their own weapons."

The informant brought his own Short Barrel Rifle, but it was registered.

The now-defendant allegedly brought what the informant believed was also an SBR.

Read 7 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Oct 30, 2024

Just now: Attendees of Vice President Kamala Harris’s rally at the Ellipse resort to climbing over the “scale proof” fences surrounding the event after exit gates were closed, apparently due to pro-Palestine protesters on the other side.

2) "Push it down!"

During some of the confusion as police wouldn't allow people to leave the Harris Ellipse speech, some pushed over a small plastic fence that divided them from other people also trying to exit.

It didn't make a difference.

3) "You say it's open but where's it open?" crowds frustrated attempted to confront police as they had difficulty leaving the Harris rally.

"No! No! No!" a cop said as a man jumped, leaving a woman with him behind, who would have had to find a not-closed gate.

Meanwhile, police attempted to confine the pro-Palestine protests outside.

Read 7 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Sep 11, 2024

VIDEO THREAD: Tonight, police and protesters clashed outside the presidential debate in Philly.

I want to detail how that happened.

All was at peace until one person lit a flare, waving it around for the cameras.

Police pushed in in force, arresting him and angering the crowd.

2) A handful of frustrated protesters linked arms and pushed into a line of bike cops, mimicking them by shouting "move!"

"CPD, KKK, IOF you're all the same!" they chanted as a shoving match ensued.

Additional police arrived in riot gear and the scuffle spread and intensified.

3) With police assembling in riot gear including shields now, the remaining pro-Palestine protesters called to "disperse!"

Officers ended up facing off with a mostly empty street consisting of a handful of stragglers as well as remaining news cameras.

Read 12 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Sep 8, 2024

VIDEO THREAD: "Queers love Palestine! HRC loves the war machine!"

Protesters rallied against the Human Rights Campaign dinner tonight featuring Tim Walz in DC to condemn their relationship with weapons manufacturers, which they say enable genocide.

"We're not interupting!" they chanted. "Pink washing is disgusting!"

2) Protesters put red paint on their hands to symbolize what they say is the Human Rights Campaign's support for the killing of Palestinians.

"HRC is using our name to pinkwash an administration committing genocide, burning children under rubble but those children are not human enough for the Human Rights campaign, shame!"

3) "We are here, we are queer! Zionists not welcome here!"

Protesters banged on the windows overlooking the escalator and lobby that HRC guests went through to get to the gala with Tim Walz.

Police stepped in, forcing them away from the glass.

Read 6 tweets

Ford Fischer

@FordFischer

Jul 24, 2024

This is my 4K footage of how the violence outside the United States Capitol began today.

You can see the first mace deployed (over the heads of officers, toward the activists) which angers the pro-Palestine crowd, who begins throwing water bottles as officers continue using mace.

A little over a minute into the clip is a flash grenade, one of only a couple I saw used today.

My understanding is this occurred after Netanyahu arrived but before he spoke to Congress.

2) As police engaged the crowd, a man scolded police and was maced as well.

The crowd continued marching, taking a wider route around the Capitol and avoiding most confrontations during the march itself.

3) "Smack Netanyahu in the head with that billy club!"

Activists continued a wide march around the United States Capitol from the West side to the East side clockwise.

Some pro-Israel, anti-Netanyahu activists stood along the path and were mostly ignored. Police blocked off streets heading close to the Capitol complex.