On Monday July 23rd, four anti-fascists from the Philadelphia, PA area were arrested at what was supposed to be a Ku Klux Klan rally in Center City Philadelphia. Jared Schultz, Tom Keenan, Jason Robbins -
all of Philadelphia Anti-Racist Action - and a comrade from the Progressive Labor Party - were all arrested and charged with a series of trumped up misdemeanors in a situation that - for all practical purposes - was straight up entrapment.
Rumors spread through Philadelphia starting Friday July 20th that the Ku Klux Klan was supposed to show up for an 11AM rally on Monday at Love Park. While anti-fascists were present in the area starting at 10:30AM, no racists showed up for the rally until noon when two men wearing what appeared to be neo-Nazi t-shirts showed up in the area.
Anti-fascists approached the men, confirmed they were neo-Nazis and told them to leave. Words were exchanged between the Klansmen and the anti-fascists, and then the neo-Nazis said they were leaving. The anti-fascists then followed behind them to make sure that they kept their promise.
Strangely, Civil Affairs cops remained on the other side of the park the entire time and made no efforts to follow the group even when they were out of their sight. The boneheads got into an SUV around the corner and were driven away. As they attempted to drive off, conveniently blocked by traffic, a verbal confrontation ensued with
the anti-fascists lasting several minutes before a window of the SUV was smashed. The driver – who could have flashed his badge at anytime to disperse the crowd - then ordered the four defendants against the wall.
While the arresting officer was a Philadelphia Police Department detective, the SUV was, according to paperwork received by the arrestees, the vehicle an an FBI Special Agent, also present during the arrests. What an FBI agent was doing escorting neo-Nazis away from the park remains a total mystery.
After the arrests, all four of the anti-fascists were transported to the 9th Police Precinct where they remained for approximately 27 hours awaiting notice of their charges and bail amounts.
Initially, the arrestees were informed that for some odd reason, Internal Affairs was investigating their case and that they would be facing 10 charges - 4 felonies and 6 misdemeanors. In the end, however, all of the felonies were dropped, leaving the arrestees with 8 misdemeanor charges of varying degrees upon being bailed out. The
fact that the charges were dropped so quickly proves just how trumped up these charges are. However there's still a lot at stake for The Love Park 4.
Currently, the three defendants from Anti-Racist Action are continuing to fight their charges. The fourth defendant from Progressive Labor Party took a plea bargain offered by the prosecution late last year.
Almost 18 months since their arrests, the 3 remaining defendants have not seen an actual court date. Between continuances filed by both sides, and the sitting judge being on vacation, Schultz, Keenan and Robbins have been to court multiple times all with no result.
On November 24, 2008, the defendants expect to actually have their first day in court. Their lawyers will be arguing several motions they filed and will have the opportunity to cross examine some of the prosecution's witnesses.
The three ARA members are still facing the same 8 charges - Possession of an Instrument of Crime With Intent, Criminal Conspiracy Engaging with Possession of Instrument of Crime with Intent, Institutional Vandalism/Illegal Possession, Reckless Endangering Another Person, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Mischief, Harassment - Subject Other to
Physical Contact, and Disorderly Conduct/Grading.
Stay tuned for more updates after that court date.
