Toto order on the Civil Liberties briefing the First Amendment under attack the civil rights protesters and the journalists covering them. Thank you for joining us today and the testimony is riveting when a major contribution to public t understanding and discourse at this moment in time. Thank you to those representatives who have joined us today the eight minute 462nd videotape of strangling of george floyd ignited a Nonviolent Movement with black lives matter breaking the social contract with america. Every state largest city and small town has won the support of two thirds of American People with public an opinion and galvanize the conscious of the nation fore historical analysis and legislative action. That is violent White Supremacy and Racial Injustice for centuries which is why many of us arema proud on thursday and would George Floyd Justice act the most Sweeping Police Reform bill in the history of the United States ofni america. The movement against Police Violence has been so fled with serious violations of First Amendment and here not only individual Police Officers but officials at all levels from the police chief to the attorney general and president of the United States this was theneen subject today official violence to threaten to channel the social change in america and to have that disproportionate even with an attack on democracy itself to demand immediate and serious response when the peoples representative in congress to live in a society where people are threatened in many ways with thousands of americans every year with the universal violent felon background check we hope the senate will wake up more than 1 million women per year thats why the violence against women act in 2019 and we hope the senate will take that up and violence by supremacist have taken the lives of hundreds of americans the last several years and to higher in in Charlottesville Virginia by white supremacist and then to the neonazi and in a walmart texas in 2019. And even the current wave a protest extremist and with the traditional nonviolent of reverend Martin Luther king tragically one federal Security Officer on the night of protest inhe california his sister testified at the committee on the tenth even though not apprehended some certain to point the finger at and he felt that actually was two men associated with right wing extremist group. One of whom was covered in blood on the hood of his car. White supremacist to threaten people and today inli this briefing with government violence against the American People because of the viewpoint of their political speech and free assembly. Similarly we are focused against those to cover mass demonstrations and Police Brutality. We should never use background conditions asco violence to normalize the practice of state violence against the people has Justice Brandeis observed in government is the omnipresent teacher if the government becomes a lawbreaker every man unto himself. Before i begin my own Opening Statement i want to play a video compilation for the protesters caught on camera over the last several weeks please play the video. Back it up. Back up. Back up. Hey oh my i was helping him. And they were shooting right at us please keep these images in mind with a briefing please keep these images in mind with todays briefing i will recognize with of the Opening Statement. People asked me what is the most an important part and i will talk about Representative Government and separation of powers and judicial review for foreign and domestic emoluments causes which prevent government officials theoretically through the enrichment and profit that american democracy lives and dies by the First Amendment. It is the heart of our constitution. And the First Amendment amazingly President Trump and attorney general tried to violate and offend every single human rights with this secret paramilitary squad to release tear gas and pepper spray and rubber bullets on a crowd of Peaceful Protesters many were constituents all in order to clear a path for the president to get uninvited to the st. Johns Episcopal Church so he could perform the most grotesque photo op in the United States. While holding a bible over his head this Banana Republic values triples the rights to peacefully assemble on the street and sidewalk without being assaulted by Government Forces and with the grievances without being physically attacked by identified federal agents the freedom of speech and the right to free the press the exercise of Religion Without coming on your Church Property and then they bar you from access and finally surely this is what President Trump do by brandishing a bible to the catholic bishops of washington dc. The performance was unconstitutional and blasphemous as the president transferred on triple the First Amendment right so he could see that religious citizens do take seriously in Lafayette Square is an illustration of the kinds of official abuses that seen in the Traditional Public Forum of streets and sidewalks t and parks since mr. Floyds murder 10000 a been arrested protesters journalist have been hit with tear gas and pepper spray and rubber bullets andnd more and then citywide curfews word excuse for intimidation violence. And thoses that allow the police merges after curfew they methodically arrested participants in a peaceful protest and in Washington Dc Police held 100 protesters waiting outside all night reading a protester who tried to go home disgraceful epitope one episodes and to have unforgettable testimony from two different women as citizen and protesting and the other who is on the team both of whom were shot in the eye with two different protest and two different states. Using our Lethal Weapon including teargas and other bullets fired directly at the head and faces a both protesters and journalists. In total 60 have suffered head injuries and twenties suffered eye injuries and seven have lostn tonight. The unprovoked brutality is only known because so Many Americans refuse to stop exercising the freedom under attack they are shown police indiscriminately spraying teargas into their vehicles by agreeing rubber bullets and indiscriminate ways and protesters are walking with their hands in the air and in onee video we watched as one shoved a 75 yearold protester to the ground leaving him motionless with head wounds forced police have retract all official statements the free press has been targeted the cnn news crew was arrested live on the air and dc in the louisville Kentucky News crews were shot with rubber bullets as they were on live stream the president has praised and encouraged with hundreds of thousands or millions of Peaceful Protesters in it on looters and then to blame the demonstrators and should call that 75 yearold victim repeatedly taunted and on taunted and to use violent imagery to put kerosene on the fire talk about any other report of fake news those who mean to be their own governor and then to choose between having a government without newspaper or newspaper without government i wouldpa not take a moment to choose the latter. Those who have been here at war that protects wide open robust public debate and democratic engagement it is a road to authoritarianism the people in the street looking at the george floyd enforcement act they are not the enemies of the people they are the people in american democracy the constitution belongs to people not the government much less the one person who temporarily occupies public office. With the Fourth Amendment rights of everything weve got i like to say one additional show one of the additional compilation on the threat please play the video. I was lining up a photo and it exploded i immediately realized there was too much blood i couldnt see. So you backed away . Why am i under arrest . Why am i under arrest . You will end up in a place you dont want to be here. Get out of there as quickly as you can. We have plenty of time. Are you okay . Rubber bullets. They are shooting at our crew. Many americans are horrified by this playing on the streets of the United States and i recognize the distinguished Ranking Member. Thank you mr. Chairman i could not see any of that video. It was made available to all staff so your office has that. I would like to see during the actual briefing if you run the hearing it would be nice to see what you are putting out there for folks to see so the chairman in his opening talked about live and die by the First Amendment and peoples right to be trampled. For the past several months we have seen fellow american citizens cant go to church, cant buy a gun, cannot go to your loved ones funera funeral, we saw that somehow we saw the mayor of new york city in early may 9 protesters and then to tell the Jewish Committee on ttcommunity that it is a simple but the time of warning has been passed and you will be dealt with immediately. He went we went to see that light touch that was more than a light touch from a year ago and to have the nerve to order the utilities to shut off to anyone opening a business now instead they will cut off your water and then throwing sand in the state park interested people going to the beach even by themselves. During the protest one month later on as we all know he wasnt wearing a mask when he did that. We have the mayor of minneapolis a few months ago in Person Services is a Public Health disaster within said we encourage people when we are demonstrating wearing a mask is much as possible how things have changed and that is my concern and equal treatment under the law as the attorney general said if humans ago, that constitution is not suspended during a crisis so those dealing with the coronavirus and prohibiting them from operating in their lives and preventing them to have those First Amendment liberties and then exercise to purchase a firearm even going to their loved ones funeral. When it came to the protest an entirely different story. That is my concern. And to hear from our witnesses but not the witness that we invited which is highly unusual at all thats ever happened in any briefing i have. His experience dealing with a terrorist organization and he for that threatened him numerous times so i look forward to hearing from our witnesses next we have an activist and protester and no editor at large so the minority we have a constituent of mine and several witnesses are joined by counsel. They knew what they have a question or answer with outstanding and if necessary we ask so now returned to our next guest due to her injury she may need to close her ire about her head that she is still fully vested pay and thank you for speaking out about your experience. Thank you mr. Chairman and Ranking Member. And then the universe or the morning i woke up in a hospital and doctors and for me i was blinded in one eye i had been in minneapolis. In a 48 hours. My name is linda and i am a journalist writer and photographer and published t author. Covering civil unrest since 2014 in my work on this issue is taking me to chicago and washington dc and the National Wildlife refuge and minneapolis. Im here to bear witness to my ownne experience because i expected George Floyds death would be a catalyst i arrived in minneapolis on thursday may 28 and i was out on the streets taking photos until 4 00 a. M. On friday may 29 i went out in oclock p. M. It was we try to do our job to cover the news i was wearing my usual close, a tshirt and a pair shorts with a lot of pockets i had a backpack and wore my press kit credentials around my neck i always carry my reporters no book in the right side pocket and my recorder in the left. Is also holding professional grade nikon camera so they could tell immediately i was working and asked me more than once he was wrote. Teas i have and then these types of events have similar patterns protesters retreat a few blocks and then to settle in while everybody waits to see what will happen next i arrived and took pictures of the police line because that was my job to explain to the public what was happening on the street may 29 hearing from Protesters Police were deploying teargas i plan on my goggles and respirator i would like to share some of the photographs. These photos show clearly what i saw. Here is one of my photographs showing the police during one of the moments i just described. They are holding thehe line. What i will show you now are among the last pictures i took with my camera friday night i took these in the no man land between police and protesters its not uncommon to be in that space and particularly thphotographers. This is the fifth from the last that i took to show him unloading the bandolier. But now i turned to the third throughro the glass. Finally here is the last photograph that i took before i was shot you can see an officer pointing his gun down the camera lens in at least a group of officers seem to be willing around so this is a moment of pause one agency like but the do not show police i recall feeling as if i was in any imminent danger. I felt confident in my position because it was really the fall and that was not impeding the police. I recall lighting up the photograph and then pain and wetness it registered that i was hit in the face with something. My goggles came off and so i started to scream i am press i am press hoping that would protect me. They came and took me by the arm. A protester said they were take me to the medic i followed them blindly and let somebody bandage my i did not realize how badly i had been hurt so i didnt panic i thought i just may need a few stitches. Someone put me into their van and drove me to the hospital. Doctors told me i was going into surgery immediately to try to save my i i tweeted a photo of my face in the picture of my backpack which has been hit with a bright green because i wantck to have friends and family and its bad to sedate when where but then doctors came to tell me i lost my i all i wanted was whiskey and the mft steak or a cheeseburger but instead i was given extra bananas for the potassium. I called my husband asked him to fight to minneapolis to drive me home. He is with the marine corpsps in falluja now he was minors and i have mark on the injuries andnd he has. For the first week i was not allowed to take a shower trying to wash i could not get the smell off of me i do not know what the rest of my life will be like. I know ill ever if my injury but i will report and to do my job as confidently as they always have. I am angry of course i am grieving and worrying the United States is become a more dangerous place to be a journalist taking up the issue of First Amendment violations with black livesmo matter i will be as responsive as i can but we have all seen enough rageho and pain and fire. Thank you for the opportunity i look forward to your questions. Thank you for being with us today in your Great Service as a journalist and to the people of america. Mr. Martinez you are now recognized for five minutes. Thank you. Thank you very much good morning chairman and members of the subcommittee i am a Staff Reporter and having dad general of 16 years for more than a decade. And with a black lives matter protest in asbury park and also to carry my usual equipment my iphone and my press pass and from the press around 7 00 p. M. That evening and for two and a half hours everything was fine. During that time i spoke with several who asked me why i was there. I and then there was a sudden shift in the galaxy. First to tell people to go home in the next a Police Officer said he was past curfew. They were sent from the curfew because do you want a piece of the action . Soon after to arrive in the area as my checked on my friends to immediately put on the helmet and protective eyewear. I continue to Live Streaming the events around me. Around 10 00 oclock the members of the press we found ourselves in the middle of some protesters who were be forced out of the area because other members of the immediate know whats happening. They are headed in the direction they areth come from and the young woman i later learned was his sisterle tried to intervene on his behalf that the Police Officer tackled her ton the ground now is Live Streaming on my phone when this happened. Than he heard he is the problem. And from the corner of my eye i saw an officer coming toward me one moment later i was tackled to the ground the lifestream went dark just as they said you are under arrest put your effingham hands behind your back. Face down and take his effing avon prided myself to one of the arresting officers and with other individuals that officer and i said i was a reporter that is off the protective equipment and then they loaded me into the van that they said was work headquarters five hours later is released from jail and thenth i learned the attorney general issued a public apology in america and to do the job i also received a personal call and she apologized my experience and i have june 1st protest continue to haunt me there is no question in my mind i was tackled and arrested because i was reporting on those events aroundas me even with protecting my right to do so i hope that helps to ensure congress and the journalist can report the news without censorship or Law Enforcement. Thank you very much. Thank you for stepping forward to give us that. Now we will go to latoya who will be introduced by her representative. I asked her to say a few words. Thank you mr. Chairman a ary proud to support this activist who encouraged and inspired of the millions of people with a calls for Racial Justice and the civil rights leader. [inaudible] an officer shot her with a rubber bullet fracturing her skull was so honored that she is able to join us today to hear more about this experience and fighting for justice and i am so proud she can be here this morning. I yield back. Counsel has asked before testimony to show the moment she was shot viewers can see near the center of the screen at 19 seconds into the video. I understand she does not wish to see the video herself being played so she doesnt have to relive the trauma of the event so i will let you know when its safe to open your eyes so you can launch your testimony. Please play the video good morning i work for this organization thank you to the committee for inviting me to share my story. In 1964 how she and others 17 freedom writers wrist and intimidate assault so that she and they arrested her and to her to a cell where she was meet on dash met separately. I always check on my First Amendment rights she has got the perfect injury doctors dont know that will change with little to no vision in my eye. I was shocked and depressed about the murder of george floyd. I wanted to do something i joined about the demonstrations and in miami in may 3rd without incident of violence and because of this experience and with the demonstration the following afternoon walking into Fort Lauderdale i looked around very few people who shared a common goal i saw young and old in any everybody else you can imagine and that other demonstrations they actually joined the demonstrators not here but to shoot rubber bullets often a peaceful demonstrator and to exercise the First Amendment rights of billyns Police Brutality that is the type of victim i was there is separately which made no claim and for any leadership in the city of Fort Lauderdale what i advocate to the city is to critical to exercise my First Amendment right there was yet another speaking to you today. But rather than speak to me they continued to check on me. But if we want to Work Together im willing to sit down and talk with you think youll silence a me or intimidate me that you thought wrong. So the person that is injured i am no means the only one but the young man who was shot in the face most said they sought to black men those that ran between them was not shot and then to have that sacrifice andth dedication. It takes a special kind of person so too often that is so failing even after someone has referred but then to go to a quality injustice of people to look like me but nicholas told my story and countless others have dedicated themselves to be the eyes and the ears of the public and for black people we have lived in this country for far too long without truly being safe. Thank you. Thank you for your eloquent and powerful statement and like you i you s never got to mt her but you are your great aunts great niece and i daresay that if she were here today she would be very proud of your courage to follow her path of creative and brave ways to confront justice thank you for what you are doing you are now recognized for five minutes. Thank you stir chairman and members of the committee and the professor of constitutional law and history at harvard ive been offered has to offer testimony on the subject of grave importance to protect the rights speech and protest and idiosyncrasy in the right against government and Law Enforcement to distinguish democracy from oppressive regimes as William Brennan noted the freedom of individuals who oppose thereby risking arrest is one of the principal characteristics of which we distinguish a free nation from a police state. Nevertheless history shows the rule of law is from social conflict and economic distress during the depression and the cold war in the Civil Rights Movement, vietnam war and during protest following the killing of George Floyd Officers have ignored the principles enshrined in the First Amendment. Now wee must not hesitate to acknowledge millions of individuals who safeguard the right and ability of all communities in of thesese officers demand justice for george floyd even so the question is in the actions of some as it must be addressed that is the period for which i will draw examples. In memphis more than 50 years ago doctor mlk delivered his final address to the sanitation workers after reporters joined onp the march fire hoses and police dogs in birmingham 1963 on a sunday in selma among many other incidents they gathered to hold the nation to principles and said in part we will always say to america be true to what you have on paper or in china or russia or any totalitarian country maybe i could understand the legal injunctions. Maybe i could understand the certain basic First Amendment privileges because they have not committed themselves to that over there. But freedom of assembly and the freedom of speech and the freedom of press somewhere read the voices off america but the court lifted the injunction but we can still hear his message. And that relationship betweeny. Government and Law Enforcement and communities of color at the same time it with that peaceful efforts and those that have been captured on video so to be clear as cities and states have curfews but they are by the constitution even the popular ones even with that strident criticism of the public official in Public Policy and even a similar activities of the past led to the First Amendment and in 2020 and in 1963. And to uphold and enforce the law what that bedrock principle. Thank you. Thank you very much for that discussion for the First Amendment rights i appreciate that they are recognized for five minutes. Thank you chairman and Committee Members i put my life in my own hands for years ive been the victim of hundreds of threats by anti extremist. And in the middle of the night and nearly killed me when they beat me in broad daylight. I spent 13 hours at the hospital as my brain bled. And was written on a large wall ac ab. I am in fear but its too important to remain silent. And these are horrific the complaints must be taken seriously. However it is incomplete to injuries of Law Enforcement without examining the violent extremism to instigate and carry out violence of peaceful demonstrations. Coasttocoast they have claimed dozens of lives with countless millions. And the criminals why do most of my reporting and then continuing for more than 30 days. And i reported earlier this week about the police hatred has created of culture and on the 29th of may after they stormed and set fire to the ground floor of the Justice Center to downtown businesses. And the leadership role in breaking into windows in the span of five hours you can hear the distant sirens of police the nobody would showou up. Serious injuries from rocks or concrete chunks ieds and more. And then to those legal observers and median those around us. Those that are filled with paint and those have the street on discrete pocketknives that the end are those waterer bottles and oculist looking handheld lasers are shined into the officers eyes. In new york nearly 400 officers and a twoweek period and those in Washington Dc Police were shot and killed ive seen with my own eyes. And with that violence against sproperty when i was undercover in seattle which was inhabited i received a manual and booklets providing instruction as human shields and cover to commit the violent extremists to destabilize the country trying to use communications and even journalist and then to melt away. Those protest must be constrained enforcement playing one of the most important roles to keep those demonstrations safe you can see how that will work the protest which was in the violent video Peaceful Protesters made a citizens arrest has been charge. George floyd deserves justice but so does countless americans and journalist and by militantmized extremist to use us as human shields. S. You are recognized for your five minutes. Members of the subcommittee and chairman and Ranking Member thank you for the opportunity to contribute. And previously i served on the clergy staff of Lafayette Square. And to look directly into the camera. And i called the church, the church as a whole for courage and leadership to dismantle systemic racism. When christians celebrate with the holy spirit and i lamented that for centuries the church has squandered it hasnt had the courage toen stand up to cast out the systemic and racism in the name of love. Racial justice rooted in scripture now a critical ministry in the diocese of washington and that ministry at the implication that drew me in my colleagues they are on behalf of the church to provide comfort and support to the Peaceful Protesters into have solidarity in the cause of racialnd justice. And protesting that governments use against innocent people and with my own eyes i saw the government against peaceful people using violence. The group of clergy was based on the patio at st. John Lafayette Square. At the corner of 18th street so we were passing out water and snacks Hand Sanitizer masks of peace where they gathered so to holy ground and while you may not think episcopalians do this we were laying hands on people and playing with them people sat on the shade is a place of respite i would venture into the crowd you could hear people with megaphones inside the park leading the protest police. Or racist and then things changed in an instant. Suddenly i saw and heard protesters running from Lafayette Park and trails of smoke billowing from the crowd. Running north on 16th street to pile onto the patio some crying and asking for help and paper towels or water a because there eyes were stinging and eyes were streaming with water. Sounding like gunfire. And then dropping to the ground in fear it was gunfire. I couldnt understand what had happened with that sudden change of the behavior of the police. It was 6 36 p. M. Before the 7 00 oclock curfew i was on the patio and right across the street from Lafayette Park i had heard any warning. I had heard any message from the police. The first thing i heard was the scream of people running. People are running. Crying. Dropping to the ground in th terror. It was dehumanizing. As the protesters ran from the park i called out water, i wash to assist the protesters to assist the protesters the fleeing protesters. A man knelt in front of me, coughing and terrified. His eyes swollen and red. He begged for something to help the stinging. And i began to rinse his eyes. I heard someone yell, rubber bullets. And i looked up from washing the mans eyes to see a man in front of me holding his stomach and bent over. He moved his arms and i saw marks on his shirt. And then i looked over his shoulder. And i could not believe my eyes. A wall of police in full riot gear was physically pushing people off the st. Johns patio, maybe 15 feet away from me. The scene was shocking. And the terrified faces of the protesters continue to haunt me. They were peacefully protesting, and the government used violence against them. That alone left me badly shaken. But when i later found out that the president had just minutes later stood in front of the church and held up a bible, i was outraged. My clergy colleagues and i were there in the name o scriptures but we were giving them water and food and after they were attacked byyi the pole so ol cold at the same scripturs and the flash grenades into police in riot gear. Its horrifying. And i say this not to make a political point of raise an objective truth a witness would have been equally devastating regardless who was occupying the white house. The following wednesday although no more tear gas police not wearing identifying information block us from getting to the prayer ritual the church. Let meid reiterate that they wee not permitted together at our church to pray and this is antithetical to everything we hold dear in this country, antithetical to my faith and should be afforded to people of all faiths. Im here to offer my account of these events but a more broadlyo add my voice to the cause demanding Racial Justice to ensure what happened in Lafayette Square that evening will neverde happen again and i look forward to answering your questions. Thank you very much for your eloquent testimony. I understand [inaudible] thank you [inaudible] it is critical we use our authority to find a spotlight on these abuses of power and harm that is coming to people. That is exactly what people were doing in Fort Lauderdale. I remember seeing the accounts on tv and then right after all of this happened as i understand it was astonishing to me we could have had the kind of police overreaction and then they firedt. Bullets. Did you hear a warning before they were fired, and i also want to understand the ramifications for showing up at the protest what is your lif has your life e since your injury . We are talking about people standing up for their rights and there shouldnt be ramifications for the rest of their lives. Prior to being tear gassed [inaudible] people were still being shot by rerubber bullets. Since that day i was surviving off of snooty sand beyond the i still had vision issues with my iam extreme light sensitivity. I have to continuously look aw away. As a person that witnessed the protest comes from that situation connecting and to create or generate and i have to put up on the back burner. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, by all accounts i had firsthand accounts as the violence was unfolding and by all accounts, this was a peaceful protest and the police may have overreacted at the end of the protest so what message does it send when the police to shoot at a peaceful protester who is on their knee, what message does it send to those . Thank you, congresswoman and thank you for mentioning a state of chaos. As we have seen inc other videos that was the Pivotal Moment of people coming together simply for change. Seeing that video understanding we dont want to bring violence to this demonstration and knowing that even after the situation calm down they were still coming in with tear gas and shooting with rubber bullets. What it shows to me is even though they are enlisted to, they are there to protect the lives of the community. I dont know if i feel comfortable at in these events in Fort Lauderdale because i havent received an acknowledgment of the. As a citizen that was there a and seeing the brutality that i was met with they didnt want us to be able to express our opinion. Because of your Family History and leadership standing up for justice and human rights we will see you standing out there for what you believe in once again. It is the last thing that should have been, people having First Amendment rights knocked out withat intimidation by those tht are there to serve and protect. Thank you. Im going to recognize myself for my five minutes. Let me pick up on that. You said it was the officers that created the violence. You didnt see any riots or looting taking place . No, id beeknow, ive been ae undemonstration for over three hours. I spoke to several individuals and at no point did anyone become violent or express the need to or desire to want to become violent. You served on the Police Reform to help them build Stronger Community relationships, is that right . The i was appointed about a month and a half prayer. Why did you want to serve in that way . The looking at the issues withh Police Brutality i think as we continue to, one of the biggest things we can do is look at the relationship with t the Police Officers intook the black community. So, being able to be an active agent in that chain and being someone that has the initiative is important to me. If they know the citizens and know they are good people, that would reduce the incidence of violence. As a representative of a lot of people that were caught up in that riot staged by the attorney general, i want to thank you for trying to shield peoplee from violence. As we lived through the end also your shock at being displaced i wonder if you could comment on what you experienced in terms of a pandemic that we are in the middle of. Theyve told people to wear masks in public. What was the use of tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets do to peoples ability to follow the advice during the pandemic . I want to clarify the church is a different st. Johns, it is in georgetown. I have served at the same one, and i was there as a part of that ministry. But they were unable to get into their church the day after. The prayer vigil, the clergy and bishops from around the city gathered and we were not able, the police kept us from getting there. Your question about the masks, my experience at th of the prots everybody was wearing a mask. People are also regularly coming to us and asking for Hand Sanitizer. If the risk is lesser outdoors where everybody is moving around and people were mostly keeping a distance. I felt no concern. My concern became leader of web people whose eyes i was washing out and i thought of the first scene was coughing and coughing and pulled his mask down because he was coughing. I have to glea had to lean in ce able to clean out his eyes and although i kept my mask on i realized several days later it was the first of what turned out to be several close intimate encounters i had with people but had to pull their mask down so i could watch their eyes and those that were coughing. I was also coughing because i have also gotten tear gas and unlike linda i was able to watch the i tear gas out of my hair tt night. Thank you. My time is up. Im going to call him the Ranking Member and then we will go to the republican side after. Thanknk you mr. Chairman. Why do democrats try to ignore you . Why do you think the democrats try to ignore you . I dont know if it is intentional. I would hope it isnt because my messages and to be partisan. I have major publications of violent extremist threats. My family is based in portland oregon. Over 30 days of riots downtown. This is the reality of what im seeing everyday onon the ground. Last week on the house floor imaginary things like antifa, is that real . Yes, it is. I am holding up the county offer and i will do some of it. It was reported to the excited about the things and animated about how closely the place officer had been detailed. This individual has been charged with numerous felonies. This is a press release [inaudible] know enough members to does not a conspiracy theory. This is to come together on the far right and far left. Do you think that it is a terrorist organization . Based on the activities they are doing on the ground. Let me tell you how sophisticated they are organizing is. There were two arrests. The woman on the left, you know what she is accused of . Multiple felonies they say on the second of june she was part of a unit driving around any riots downtown and resupply and her comrades with weapons and more supplies. When they sped off by using a strip of spike she injured in officer in the process of being arrested and the man on the right was driving a car with a fake license plate from north carolina. When the police pulled him over for suspicious behavior, they found the weapon filled with cash. Why didnt the police wintervene last year when weve all seen the video of you being attacked when youre exercising your First Amendment liberties as a part of the freedom of the press, why did they intervene when they saw what was going on . It was a few years ahead of. Theres been consistent riots involving brutal clashes so theyve been demonizedf over and over. Have they been instructed not to intervene in these situations . The Police Commissioner in my own reporting i found out this culture of the police hatred created an environment where they are past it and we are seeing some data coming out in the last month showing the increase of violence across ncamerica. Im about out of time so that they ask one more question about the double standards. The city council in minneapolis and the Police Department if we find out today according to the news reports members of the city council are being protected by private security detail and using tax payer dollars to pay for that. Give me an example of this double standard. Officials need to be protective of those who seek to harm. Also regular civilians need too be protected, my co panelists and people like myself. Thank you. We will now go to thec representative presley for five minutes of questioning. Thank you, chairman, for bringing us together for this important conversation. I also want to thank the survivors are listing their traumatic experiences and especially the seventh district constituent thank you for sharing your compelling testimony and context revising it. A few weeks ago i sat proudly with a demonstration that was a beautiful sight to bear witness to, multiracial peacefully protesting, speaking with one voice against the racism, Police Brutality. These are a continuation of organizing freedom riders and fighters before this but had to fight to gain equal rights. While it may have changed, it is eerily similar to those used in other chapters in the nations history. In 1965, Television Viewers watched police used clubs and tear gas to attack hundreds of civil rightsed protesters including congressman john lewis as they marched across the Edmund Pettus bridge in selma alabama. Id like to catch this moment in the nations history following the deaths of the civil rights the country. Thank you, representative. I would say so many of these are resident of the peaceful protest that were vital to the sort of change in the law and society that the country is so appreciative of today. Participating in the honorable and so critically important tradition demanding accountability from the government. Citizens seeking change in am peaceful way. We ought to be happy in this ntuntry that citizens are choosing this pathway to pursue reform. It is their right and we ought to lift them up to. Thank you for the Ranking Member jordan earlier was talking about the his experience in the wake of the pandemic. Black americans have never had equal protection in the law. They are being met with more of a police state and the protesters on the front lines today weve seen them used tear gas on individuals and Police Shooting rubber bullets between the emotional damage and such. How do these compare to the images we have seen throughout history . Thank you for that question. As i havee emphasized in my testimony, the images are in some instances very similar to two other figures we thought we had left behind. In this era of history that we believe is inconsistent with the values of equal protection under thee law. One of the things is the lesson once these between the police and protesters it is to crystallize the injustices of the moment and i think that is what we have seen here when see the injustice others have lived with for so many years and when they see these images that illustrate these problems are many support the principles of the constitution and have joined the perspective so it is counterproductive to. I want to reclaim my time. One difference in 1965 following the demonstrators, president johnson pushed for passage of the Voting Rights act and to dominate the streets coul could demonize protesters and to promote the protection of property over human lives. He signed executive orders up to a ten year sentence for vandalism while militarized Police Officers face zero, fences for inciting violence and engaging in brutality and protests. President johnson [inaudible] but time is expired and we are going to turn now to mr. Keller. Before i recognized them i want to check that the rigid member is correct there was a mixup on the press release which i knew nothing about. But we thank you for yourr participation and they recognize you for your five minutes. Im glad we are having this meeting today. I am somewhat disappointed [inaudible] we are going to continue the briefings. Additionally, more and more workers are showing up to do their jobs across the country. Weve proven itt incongruous. Why cant we show up at work like so many others . I think its an important decision that we are having. Its one of the things that makes this country so great. Im committed to working with the majority of the committee to protect the constitutional rights. They should be safe from harm but its important to note that many of the protests that we have seen have been anything but peaceful. Thereve been radical groups that have brought riots durin. On public stitches and looting of private property in the businesses that they protected work so hard to protect in many cases. Im not sure what other choice an officer has continued to do their job. We have seen antipolice zones and in so many across the country. Their vision is mobs and not jobs. The attorney general stated some of the violence we have seen recentrn plea debate recently is because extremist groups hijacked some of the protests. Can you shed some light on what has been happening in those groups inciting violence . I would like to bring your brtention to a manual that i received in seattle. There was a lot of radical anarchists to. This one provides instructions as the first line of defense to draw the crowd by calling the meeting of some kind discussed the crisis. There are very specific instructions and training going on about using and exploiting large numbers of people and that is what we see happening every dayat so when they barricaded, u know what people in the crowd were shopping there is a lot of misinformation and propagandaes going on from many media crew on the ground. Its important to recognize the majority across the country are peaceful but it only takes a small amount of people to turn a demonstration into a riot and caused millions of dollars in damages and destroying livelihoods and causing the death of people as well. I understand what you are saying these instructions being put out by these groups when they hijack this crowd but they also are trying to keep everybody safe. They are in an impossible situation. Rioting for five hours they have full control of downtown so there is pressure to respond. They used tear gas to disperse the violent rioters and that is when the Police Brutality and the city Council Restricted some of their tools to control the crowd and the same happened in seattle. I dont know what the politicians want the police to do, they wanted to protect life and property or give the rioters the ability to destroy and kill as theyve done . By now recognized the representative for five minutes ofhe questioning. Thank you so much and thank you for allowing me to join. Okay. Great. Im a reporter six times it was repeated as she was arrested while covering the philadelphia protests last week in response to Police Violence. The ability of the free press to record is a foundational and critical piece of the american democracy. Its a value that even predates the constitution. Rit can be traced back to the trials and your kids have been in 35. He published a series of newspaper articles exposing the corruption of the english governor at the time. He was suspended and the right to free press was established by the quintessential philadelphia lawyer andrew hamilton, not to be confused with alexander hamilton. Since that time, the country men and women in the constitution have recognized the importance of the free press to be able to expose corruption and speak truth to power. In the past few weeks, we have seen an unprecedented number of arrested journalists and attacks on journalists. There was a chronicle of this. The United States press freedom tracker. This used to be something we looked at in other countries in shock and horror. We have seen growing numbers of attacks and arrests in the country over the past three years. I want to thank the chair for bringing together the hearing because it is so an out right now. I want to mention that ive joined chairman chef in House Resolution 999 to condemn the arrest of reporters on the front lines covered in protests and reaffirmed the congresss commitment tot protecting the free press, which is how we get information so we know whats going on in our country. I hope my colleagues on this committee will join us in this important resolution. I do want to talk to the reporters here. You said something that was needed about the silencing of journalists by lawsa enforcement is a fundamental threat to democracy. Can you expand on b that . Many of you have informed me amendment that enables you to go out and document and report on what happens. That is a great power and liberty thatoc we have a. Of its alarming to see Different Actors are out there trying to silence and also what people are doing that implement this conduct and other problems happening in their communities. I know both of you have reported on the assaults and arrests. There were over 141 incidents that have been reported just since the start of this year and most of them occurred in the pastth month. So we know that there is under reporting. I dont know if you are still with us, but if you are, the fact that u. S. Is becoming more dangerous to become a journali journalist, can you expand upon that . Yes, thank you, congresswoman. Ive been covering the protests since 2014. And at no point did i have the expectation that i would go and be shot in the course of doing my job. With the attacks taking up substantially compared to what we have seen in the previous years, that worries me as a citizen and as a journalist. Thank you. I was involved in an investigation with fdr that have to do with the line of duty as an er journalist they make thconnect thetime is expired soo the question. I have very strong concerns about the escalation of violence against journalists in they, United States. Thank you so much for having this hearing. Thank you. We will do a second round of question is, so i wont recognize myself first for five minutes. There has been a lot of reporting about these extremist elements trying to exploit the Nonviolent Movement by black wives matter and the protests. We know several members have been arrested for a the murder of officer underwood and we know of other white supremacist groups that were there. F i hadnt heard of antifa. I just pulled up an article ju june 9 saying no sign of antifa so far. They looked at 51 cases brought by the department of justice and theres no one associated. Lets assume we know that theres extremist white supremacist activity and for some reason there is an obsessive focus onn antifa, andi hope that isnt just some sort of political point. My question is when these extremists get into the crowd to try to incite violence by throwing a bottle or something, how does that change the dynamic of the protest . Ive heard of some that tried to wholate them if they stop what you are doing. What should the Police Response be if you have someone that shows up with a gun or tries to exploit the situation to create violence . Thank you for that question. I would say to be able to distinguish between Peaceful Protesters and those that are there to exploit and try to overtake it in ways that undermine the peaceful demonstration. They are within their right to isolate the elements and the point that i would make is the presence of those elements cannot undermine the rights of those that are peacefully protesting. Er in the way it is analogous to the Police Officer that murdered george floyd. We dont blame all the officers for what he did. He is the one being prosecuted for murder. We dont believe in collective guilt and punishment under our system of due process. So, youve got a one guy that shows up to create problems, you dont start shooting journalists and other people because of that. I very much appreciate that point. Speaking of which, mr. Martinez, youve been a journalist for a long time. Did you do anything to provoke violence, or what was it that you were doing when they were apprehended and arrested . Thank you for the question. I was following police orders. They heard screams and turned to record what was happening, [inaudible] youve probably had time to reflect your great aunts career as one of the people that tried to desegregate the National Convention of as my colleague said, the Democratic Convention in Atlantic City in 1964. We are not ashamed that it came to the democratic party. We are proud we are a Political Party that transformed itself and left White Supremacy and violent racism behind. I wonder what your reflections are about what she went through and what we are going through today. Thank you, mr. Chair, for the question. It is to the resilience of the leaders in the communities that are continuing to be the frontline of these issues. Hearing about the stories and reading about the stories in the past few weeks i think its important to focus on how powerful she was and even after she suffered brutalization at the hands of officers before she went to prison and when she was arrested and after. The issue is the beyond me. To counter what they are doing, this isnt something that is going to prevent us from continuing to use our voice and change this country. Think you pretty much. My time is up. For anybody that is interested, the episode eyes on the prize is a wonderful piece of what happened. So i would recommend this. Im now happy to recognize the Ranking Member for five minutes for questions. You are recognized for five minutes. In your Opening Statement, you said some violated the First Amendment liberties. Have some y governors violated e First Amendment as well during this walk down . Im not quite sure what you mean. I do hear you talk about the lockdown orders and the ways thereve been differential treatment for protesters and a the Peaceful Protesters against Racial Injustice. That has not been my observation. My same is that they have been incredibly restrained in the lockdown process. As to the governors, my understanding is against the orders of some governors and let me ask you this. A month and a half ago there was a memorandum to the u. S. Attorneys following that religious liberty rights and others. And in that o he said in the tis of crisis. Do you agree with that statement . Of course. We ought to be able to take care of our citizens during the pandemic. Let me give you an example here. They have in order that you cant need in a group larger than ten. 16 people were innocent to worry that it could accommodate, do you believe that is a violation of the american citizens First Amendment religious liberty rights . Certainly those individuals are able to take that back to court. The governor of course has the least power designed to further Public Safety and that was the motivation beyond that order. What about doing a press briefing in a room with 21 people in the room. Is there some kind of concern when you have a governor saying you cannot assemble and exercise religious freedom rights even though people anything to where he can and you can do a press conference, does that concern you . [inaudible] were they journalists, officers of the law in louisville kentucky the governor said thew, same thing. He was actually fighting the people we never hear of anything where the press was comingto in for a drivein serve and the press decided they were able to be exercised while others were not. Heres what the governor of new jersey said when asked about all lockdownnd whether the order supported the constitution he said, quote, i wasnt thinking of the bill of rights when we did this. Does that concern you when you have the governor of the major stata majorstate saying he isnn gun rights when he needs a lockdown order . I would like to think that the bill of rights is always present in our minds. And as i said, people are entitled to challenge those workers if they would like. They are challenging those. They are definitely doing that. Americans certainly understand. Are you concerned about the double standard . While the protesters are chanting and at the same time put sand at the skate parks so the kids cant escape. Are you concerned about the double standard . Ive seen the double standards that are articulating. Ive noticed that the protests many people are wearing masks, so we are trying to reconcile the governor took a sulky at a protest and he wont let 16 people go to church at the sanctuary. The ac helpful or harmful plaques i think that he apologized for not wearing a mask. He apologized, but this is what drives so Many Americans crazy is the double standard acl tear. Mr. Chairman, ile understand my time is up. Thank you for your questioning. Ms. Presley, he won up again for five minutes. O thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Just picking up on my last line, again, in the earlier days of the Civil Rights Movement, when people spoke up and demanded justice, johnson used federal forces to protect black american. Today, donald trump is using federal forces to attack black americans. Has any american president of the United States responded to Peaceful Protesters in this way . Well, i would say not to my knowledge. It is important to appreciate that president kennedy and president johnson and others understood the power of people protesting in our society. And as you mentioned, the protests at birmingham and selma gave rise to the legislation that has made it substantially clear in this country today. How does this response compareds to those weve seen in dozens of states across the nation to protest measures against the coronavirus . I would say that in the context of the lockdown, Police Officers have been incredibly restrained and i havent noticed violence against protesters at times ored tear gas. Vby contrast, the protest following the death of george floyd, we have seen a lot of o that. So there has been a remarkable difference in terms of the response. Thankin you. And i would just say that the Fannie Lou Hamers and doctor kings, we are in the movement but im quite certain they were vilified, when falsely and harmfully anesthetized in the same way the protesters and demonstrators on the front lines of this movement are being today. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Thank you and i will go back. Thank you very much. If you are still there, you have five minutes for questioning. Thank you so much. I appreciate the opportunity to purchase a page. I want to go back to you for a minute. Can you speak of a constitutional scholar to the importance of the exercise of the free press in our country and what that means . Sure. Thank you for the question. The respect for the press are protected under the First Amendment, andes it is vital to. The members of the press are in the position to tell us and report on the facts to expose government wrongdoing and therefore it is important to respect the role of the press and society. The eyes and ears of the American People. Ms. Hirono, i want to return to you for a minute. You have described in detail what happened to you. Let me get into some of the details. How do they know you or anyone else is a journalist . I have my credentials on a lanyard aroundli my neck. I also was between protesters and taking pictures. Youve covered others before including them ferguson after Michael Brown was killed, focorrect . Yes. And that was when . 2014. Can you compare your experience in ferguson to what happened in minneapolis . Compared to what . I assume you were not shot at them ferguson. Yes, certainly. Unfortunately, i was in minneapolis on thursday into friday and in ferguson for quite a long time. But i can say is that it is common in ferguson to speak to the police and identify your self as press. Overall, i would say that even in the ferguson in the midst of this situation, i had no expectation that i would be shot point blank in the face when it was reasonably quiet. And as we learned, i didnt have that expectation. I didnt walk away from minneapolis with the same sense of security. You also covered the standoff cattle where armed ranchers and federal land can you describe how they responded to that compared to what you witnessed in response to the blocklike spatter pretest . Sure. To clarify that was in january of 2016. The main difference is that with the tiny rural area. We rarely saw a federal or local Police Person down on the refuge itself with the exception the sheriff would come and there would be a bit at the top of the hill. The fbi couldnt [inaudible] experience inmy oregon. And that was the situation where the cow ranchers occupied and took over for period of time, is that right . Yes, with the help of several of the surrounding states. Looking back, how is your ex. Different than journalists that work for Larger Networks . Urothat is the question of workplace protection. I would have an Editorial Staff and legal fees. I would have some insurance or workers comp. I do work for various outlet. I am responsible for all those give any legal plans they might have. If i wereha arrested by would be responsible for billing myself out. E as you saw in ferguson, when arrested if h they had to bail themselves out and they really have to look out for themselves in a level that is different. I see that my time is expired, so thank you for your journalism and for being here today. Thank you for having me. Thank you for holding this very important a on very important briefing and thank you for being an inspiration to people around the country as wee continue to advocate. Thank you chairman and the subcommittee for hosting me today and i would like to remind everybody from what we have seen today we hear from everybody here is protected under the law and should be respected. My faith calls me to respect the dignity of every humanan being and part of that is antithetical to my faith of Peaceful Protesters of violent criminals. Violence is never the answer and i witnessed the governments use of violence against peaceful people which violates the attendance of my faith as the most peaceful people. And i yearned for that. Thank you for your testimony. Before a get the closing not able recognize the Ranking Member. Let me just close first of all i am especially proud of every Single Person here for standing up for the First Amendment for the constitution and the freedoms of our democracy. I find it terribly searing to people appeared with us today who were injured in their eyes. Im very sorry you have lost vision in one of your eyes , but this is thein year 2020 and you have Perfect Vision to understand whats going on in america to still be on the frontlines of journalism. And our thoughts and hopes are with you with yourur recoveries from the injuries you suffered and for everybody here who suffered different kinds of wounds and injuries at the hands of government violence , our thoughts are with you we are in the throes to try to repair the broken circle contract because of violent White Supremacy and racism and in the dred scott decision in the 19thau century american has no right that the white mant will respect and through that compact we try to overthrow that understanding in the civil war with the Reconstruction Amendment 12 years of meaningful strong interracial progress and democracy before was undone again before violent White Supremacy the kkk and the grandfather clause in the literacy test and then almost another century before the modern Civil Rights Movement brought the second reconstruction through blood and sacrifice through doctor king and everybody who put their lives on the line to build the dream of america is opportunity for all. And we are at the baseline of White Supremacy and black lives matter and the wonderful young people in large cities and small towns across america have given us hope for a new lease on life in the reformation of our social contract to be inclusive of everyone to fight for democracy and justice and civil rights and Civil Liberties for everyone thank you for participating you have done your country a Great Service and thank all the members who have participated asoe well. The meetingfor future and biolol events. On the welcome and thank all of the witnesses for the participation in for the thoughtful testimony and ill ask unanimous consent to enter the full testimony into the record of predisposing doctor garrett has requested the full ending of the crisis in complacency of the
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