Event Recap for Fri Oct 10th Drop the Charges Press Conference
DareToStruggleCT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, October 12th, 2025
Contact: Mike, Dare to Struggle – CT
203-747-8073
We exposed these arrests for what they were: blatant and outrageous attempts to silence activists for speaking out against police brutality and the mistreatment of the homeless. In doing so, we made it clear that those attempts to silence us were futile.
About 30 people were present, including Dare to Struggle members, the activists' two lawyers, Homeless Liberation Initiative members, members of the CT Civil Liberties Defense Committee, formerly homeless residents of New Britain, and other supporters. People passing by also stopped to listen and discuss the arrests.
Attorney Jon L. Schoenhorn said, "It appears that [these arrests] were in violation of the First Amendment. It appears the use of the breach of peace statute against peaceful protestors is itself an infringement of free speech and the right to demonstrate."
Attorney Alex Taubes said the warrant affidavit "contains no allegations of any violence, no allegations of any threats by Dare to Struggle, no allegations of any incitement to threats or provocation of fighting. Just speech." He added, "The f-word is protected speech. Our courts have said so over and over again."
Taubes also highlighted the hypocrisy and brutality of NBPD, saying that NBPD "has excused or minimized the murderous actions of its own officers" but is "charging people with crimes for shouting 'F the system.' That is not a breach of peace. That is political repression."
Kimmy, one of the activists arrested, noted that "this pattern of political repression is something that we're noticing nationwide," such as in the case of Katherine Hines and in police crackdown on pro-Palestine protests.
One of the other activists arrested, Lily, added, "The warrant itself admits that when officers were, quote, 'recalled to the location, no disturbance was located.'" Given the lack of justification for the charges, the activist said, "New Britain Superior Court Judge Chris Pelosi misused his power by signing the warrants purely based on protected free speech and political activity."
The 3rd activists, Jessy, said that for homeless people in a city with nowhere to go and gentrification taking root, "You're spending your whole day getting kicked from one place to another," leaving no other choice than to protest and demand what you need.
Rhett, representing the CT Civil Liberties Defense Committee, said, "This is not just the Trump Administration. [...] This is what police repression has looked like in the history of our nation."
Key highlights of the event included:
1. The arrested activists' lawyers gave statements detailing the baseless nature of the arrests and promising to fight the charges and win if the court doesn't drop them.
2. Arrestees and guest speakers explained how these arrests fit into America's long history of political repression of protesters rather than being an isolated incident or a product of a specific local or federal administration.
3. We learned that the next court date will be Wednesday, December 3. Leading up to that date, we will continue to expose the bogus charges and demand they be dropped.
To view a recording of the press conference, check the following link:
https://youtu.be/kaWQ733LL4E?si=ZSqER3MkzuoGNZJw
Dare to Struggle is a multinational organization open to anyone who wants to resist and stop injustice no matter who holds political office. We don’t lobby politicians. We don’t use insular activist lingo. We don’t chase social media fame. We don’t seek careers or corporate sponsorship through activism. We’re committed to standing with the people subjected to the horrors of the American nightmare. We go to the neighborhoods facing police brutality, ICE raids, poverty, and evictions, talk to people about the problems they face, and organize people in collective struggle. We know that radical change only happens when people step outside of routine protest or expecting politicians to do it for us and take bold, collective action.
Homeless Liberation Initiative is a mass organization initiated by Dare to Struggle, led by formerly and currently homeless people, fighting against the ways the homeless are attacked in New Britain.
We are demanding:
1. Drop the bogus charges against Dare to Struggle members
2. No more repression of free speech and protest
3. Release all information detailing surveillance of DTS CT activity
4. End the criminalization and inhumane treatment of homeless people in New Britain and all of CT, especially by gentrifier businesses like the Assembly Room
5. Charge Middletown Police Department Officer Connor Reinsch, responsible for the death of Katherine Colon, with manslaughter. Charge all 5 NBPD officers responsible for the death of Zoe Dowdell with murder.
