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…
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."
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."
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."
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…
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…
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."
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."
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…
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!"
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.
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."
Documentary video thread: The New York Young Republican Club led a vigil for Charlie Kirk Friday night in New York City.
Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia led mourners in prayer: "May the God of all consolation embrace his wife and children with tender mercy and grant them strength in this hour of sorrow."
"That bullet did not kill Charlie Kirk. It made him immortal forever, a martyr in our movement!" said NYYRC President Stefano L. Forte. "We are all Charlie Kirk Now!"
2) "In Charlie Kirk's memory, let's make sure we keep free speech alive!" said Republican Mayoral candidate Curtis Silva. "Let it not be in vain!"
3) "He honestly was one of the reasons that I actually woke up and learned how to think for myself," one mourner says of Charlie Kirk.
Others praised Kirk primarily for his dialogues with college students.
Just now: Activists demanding Trump’s impeachment and release of Epstein files enter Marjorie Taylor Greene’s office along with journalist Don Lemon.
They are told to leave, door slammed behind them, and a Capitol officer arrived to tell them to lower the volume, but no arrests.
2) Activists entered office of Rep. Joaquin Castro to demand he files articles of impeachment on President Trump. @JessicaDenson07 tells him not to wait until midterms.
Journalist Don Lemon complimented office staff for being polite and offering water, unlike Greene's office.
3) Anti-Trump activists slide flyers showing President Trump with Jeffrey Epstein under the door of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's office.
4K VIDEO THREAD: Federal agents, many wearing masks, oversaw a vehicle checkpoint in the Ivy City neighborhood of Washington DC, part of President Trump's federal takeover of law enforcement functions in the capital city.
Drivers were directed to either carry on or move into one of two lanes where they'd be detained. Several were issues citations for infractions like window tint, while at least four were handcuffed, of which at least three were taken away by police.
Washington DC's MPD officers performed most of the frontline enforcement, while the feds oversaw the operation, assisted, and communicated by phone.
2) "Unconstitutional, go fuck yourselves," a driver yelled after being allowed through the checkpoint without being pulled over.
"Get him, he's on his phone!" fruitlessly yelled an MPD officer in response.
"You lost him!" I noted to the cop, who replied "that was a good one."
3) An unmarked vehicle was pulled into the line for those detained for further investigation.
When it turned out there was a uniformed police officer in the car, he was promptly let through.
Some other drivers were removed from their cars and put in handcuffs. The reasons for most arrests were not immediately clear to onlookers.
3) The posts Stinson allegedly wrote that the FBI say constituted criminal threats against President Trump go all the way back to 2020, and continue on X (then Twitter) until 2022.
VIDEO THREAD: Anti-ICE protesters gathered again outside the loading bay of a federal building in downtown LA on Thursday evening, where police declared an unlawful assembly.
Officers pushed into the crowd, firing a less lethal round and arresting at least one person.
2) A man (not clear to me which agency) pointed a scoped rifle directly into the crowd of protesters and press as police threatened arrest.
The activists celebrated a small victory as a judge temporarily enjoined the National Guard from being deployed at Trump's directive without California's executive approval, a decision which has since been overturned.
Some activists, but one in particular, vehemently instructed the crowd to obey the order to leave, which ultimately fragmented the crowd.
3) A handful of protesters ended up inside of a kettle formation, which closed in on and arrested them.
Two vehicles adorned with pro-immigrant and pro-Palestine symbols were also towed from inside the kettle.