Mastodawn

BotheredBoy🏴🚩May 31, 2023

BREAKING: This morning in Atlanta, Georgia authorities raided a home with a SWAT team to arrest 3 organizers of a bail fund used to help #StopCopCity protesters get out of jail.

https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/three-atlanta-activists-arrested-home-raided-over-bail-fund/

Three Atlanta Activists Arrested, Home Raided Over Bail Fund - UNICORN RIOT

Atlanta, GA — Around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, three members of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund were arrested during a raid by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Atlanta Police Department and charged with money laundering and charity fraud. Marlon Kautz, Savannah Patterson, and Adele Maclean were arrested at The Teardown Community, a hub […]

UNICORN RIOT

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

Marlon Kautz, Savannah Patterson, and Adele Maclean were arrested at The Teardown Community, a hub for mutual aid and activism where the three lived.

They're charged with money laundering and charity fraud for engaging in what seem to be routine First Amendment activities.

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

“The Atlanta Solidarity Fund has existed for seven years with the sole purpose of providing resources to protestors experiencing repression,” said Atlanta Solidarity Fund members in a press release. “We ensure their rights are respected through the criminal justice system..."

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

The raid comes ~3 months after members of
@AtlSolFund, including Kautz, announced they'd learned the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) planned to charge them under Georgia’s state-level RICO statute:

https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/atlanta-activists-say-prosecutors-plan-to-indict-them-on-rico-charges/

Atlanta Activists Say Prosecutors Plan to Indict them on RICO Charges - UNICORN RIOT

Atlanta, GA – Community organizations involved in the ongoing campaign to defend the South River Forest outside Atlanta, Georgia and ‘Stop Cop City’ say state prosecutors are planning on releasing indictments in the coming weeks charging them as a “criminal organization” under RICO statutes. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, targets organized […]

UNICORN RIOT

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

The GBI said in a statement today that it "executed a search warrant and found evidence linking the three suspects to the financial crimes."

Expenses cited in warrants as proof of these "financial crimes" include “forest clean-up,” “covid rapid-tests,” “media” and “yard signs."

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

GBI's bail fund raid warrants (first obtained by The Atlanta Objective) accuse @AtlSolFund of "fund[ing] the actions in part of Defend the Atlanta Forest (DTAF), a group classified by the United States Department of Homeland Security as Domestic Violent Extremists":

https://theatlantaobjective.substack.com/p/its-illegal-to-raise-money-for-cop

It's Illegal to Raise Money To Stop Cop City

At least, that's what the arrests of three activists today in Atlanta suggests.

The Atlanta Objective with George Chidi

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

While no group called "Defend The Atlanta Forest" exists (just the @defendATLforest Twitter account), identical wording citing a DHS label for "DTAF" appears in January warrants charging tree-sitters at the proposed 'Cop City' site w/ domestic terrorism:

https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/community-committee-cheers-police-violence-as-authorities-repress-resistance-to-cop-city/

'Community' Committee Cheers Police Violence as Authorities Repress Resistance to 'Cop City' - UNICORN RIOT

Atlanta, GA – As the movement to prevent the destruction of a huge swath of forest outside Atlanta grows more powerful, the authorities are scrambling to contain it. As they do, they are resorting to increasingly violent measures — including the killing of an Indigenous protester, Manuel Terán, also known as Tortuguita, on January 18 […]

UNICORN RIOT

Unicorn Riot May 31, 2023

But back in January, DHS told investigative journalist Spencer Ackerman that the classification cited by GBI doesn't exist: https://foreverwars.ghost.io/atlanta-cop-city-forest-defender-tortuguita/

"[DHS] does not classify or designate any groups as domestic violent extremists."

DHS also told WaPo the same thing: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/01/26/atlanta-forest-protester-police-riot/

Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Cop City

We get a potential glimpse into the future of the War on Terror at Atlanta's $90 million law-enforcement training center—and the police shooting of a protester. PLUS: U.S. strikes in Somalia, raids in Syria and ominous signs at Guantanamo

FOREVER WARS

Unicorn Riot Jun 1, 2023

Although DHS has been on record in national media for over 4 months stating no such "group" is classified "as domestic violent extremists," sworn GBI affidavits filed May 25th to justify today's raid of bail fund organizers still rely on this false claim.

https://unicornriot.ninja/2023/three-atlanta-activists-arrested-home-raided-over-bail-fund/

Three Atlanta Activists Arrested, Home Raided Over Bail Fund - UNICORN RIOT

Atlanta, GA — Around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, three members of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund were arrested during a raid by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Atlanta Police Department and charged with money laundering and charity fraud. Marlon Kautz, Savannah Patterson, and Adele Maclean were arrested at The Teardown Community, a hub […]

UNICORN RIOT

Unicorn Riot Jun 1, 2023

The Atlanta Solidarity Fund search warrants, based in part on the demonstrably untrue info outlined above, were signed by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Shondeana C. Morris.

Morris was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2019: https://www.dekalbsuperiorcourt.com/judges/shondeanacmorris/

https://twitter.com/GovKemp/status/1663943106859786240?s=20

Kevin Leecaster Jun 1, 2023

@UnicornRiot
I'm not arguing, but it's not the feds that have charged them is it? I just don't want misinformation to spread since that's such a big part of the reason we're in such a mess now as it is.

2020 Georgia Code. Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses. Chapter 11 - Offenses Against Public Order and Safety. Article 6 - Domestic Terrorism. § 16-11-220.

Unicorn Riot Jun 1, 2023

@GreenFire GBI is claiming in court filings that a federal DHS classification exists, while federal DHS spokesperson says no such classification exists. The domestic terrorism charges (not filed in the bail fund case) are being brought under Georgia state law as no federal law exists that defines “domestic terrorism” as a crime.

Kevin Leecaster Jun 1, 2023

@UnicornRiot
Yeah, GBI seems to be out of control on this shit.

On an unrelated story, but related to domestic terrorism I was glad to see that the feds used what is on the books at the federal level, which is sentencing enhancement in the #J6 cases finally this week so that we can clearly say who the real terrorists are.

It's the anniversary of this tweet too btw.

the Stripey Goodness May 31, 2023

@UnicornRiot @AtlSolFund which chinless mutant judge signed off on such an invitation-absurd warrant?

Coach Pāṇini ®May 31, 2023

@UnicornRiot They’re conducting lawfare backed by the State.

Ricardo Harvin Jun 1, 2023

@UnicornRiot #FTP #ACAB

#DefundThePolice, fully fund #Socialervices and #education, instead.