The prosecution of hundreds of protesters at the Trump inauguration is approaching next month with federal prosecutors levying felony conspiracy and riot charges carrying terms up to 70 years in prison. PCJF Executive Director Mara Verheyden-Hilliard spoke to the "Loud and Clear" radio program on Oct. 25, 2017, to discuss the case.

"There’s an Effort Around the Country to Curtail People’s Fundamental 1st Amendment Rights" — Mara Verheyden-Hilliard (Audio and transcript of interview) Read more

If convicted, Wood faces between 70 and 80 years in federal prison. Critics have called the charges “arbitrary” and “unbelievably harsh” while the MPD has been accused of using excessive force in a bellicose attack of basic First Amendment rights. Read more

"The superseding indictment is an unprecedented effort to explicitly charge people with acts they did not commit, that were committed by others, based solely on proximity and assumed shared political views. That basis for prosecution stands in direct violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of expression, assembly and association," says Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice.

PCJF Sends Open Letter to DC Council: Last-Minute Revelations Require There Should Be No Confirmation of Newsham Prior to Independent Investigation Into Police Actions of January 20, 2017 | Action Alert: Call the DC Council!

Esquire magazine reports on the legal situation of hundreds of people arrested during protests at the Trump Inauguration, now facing felony riot charges and 10 years in prison simply for having been in proximity to a few other people who were breaking windows.

VIDEO: PCJF Executive Director Mara Verheyden-Hilliard delivers powerful testimony in front of the Washington D.C. Council, Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety, in defense of the right of people to protest peacefully without fear of being unjustly arrested, and against the appointment of Peter Newsham as DC Metropolitan Police Chief.

WTOP ("Washington's Top News") covers the lawsuit filed by PCJF against the District of Columbia for withholding police reports on the response to protests against the Inauguration of Donald Trump.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to obtain the release of documents regarding interim Chief Peter Newsham's controversial handling of the January 20th protests against the incoming Trump Administration. Read more

We talk about the right to protest with activist and attorney Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.