ROTSHARP, mirror-ape ogre

Statement from Asheville Blade journalism co-operative:

In today's bench trial of Blade journalists Veronica Coit and Matilda Bliss, judge Calvin Hill declared them guilty of trespassing, ignored basic freedom of the press protections and openly sided with the Asheville police's claim they can order reporters off public land simply because they don't want them there.

The decision was immediately appealed to a jury trial.

Every reporter, everyone who's ever criticized any official or cop should find the push to punish our journalists chilling.

We remain determined to keep fighting. We know all too well that Asheville's governments run on petty spite and routinely disregard basic rights.

Hill also said he hadn't seen evidence Blade reporters are journalists (something even the prosecutor didn't try to challenge) despite our news organizatiom being around for almost a decade. He ignored multiple court rulings protecting press rights to monitor cops.

If anyone thinks government here is remotely "progressive," know that's a lie. Currently they're retaliating against journalists, trying to lock up mutual aid workers and punishing the poor for existing. That's the reality and they're desperate to silence anyone speaking up about it.

During cross examination today Lt. Mike McClanahan, the commander of the xmas night 2021 raid openly admitted he "didn't care" that they were arresting journalists.

McClanahan also said our journalists could have been a "safety risk" but was unable to say how.

Remember in a 2020 survey Asheville police officers openly said that "no scrutiny from media" was what they mean by "safety." Today Hill refused to allow that as evidence.

The jury trial of our journalists is set to start May 1, though with how the courts go that could shift.

Thank you to Asheville locals and press freedom orgs around the world for supporting our fight against this injustice.

You can support our co-op's struggle by donating here or subscribing here